The movement to demand eight hours of work has thrived in the United States since 1827, along with the growth and development of the Trade Union movement. In 1868, the American authorities were forced to pass a law to fix 8-hour working days in government agencies and enterprises. But private enterprises still keep working days from 11 to 12 hours.
In 1886, in the great industrial city of Chicago, the Congress of the American Federation of Labor passed a resolution stating: "...From May 1, 1886, the labor day of all workers shall be eight o'clock. ". The reason May 1 is chosen because this is the beginning of an accounting year in most factories and enterprises in the US. On this day, a new contract between the worker and the owner will be signed. The capitalist class can foresee the worker's decision without being able to find an excuse to refuse.
On May 1, 1886, because workers' demands were not fully met, workers across the United States participated in strikes to pressure employers to comply with their demands. The first was the strike in the city of Chicago. About 40 thousand people not to plant. They held rallies, demonstrations in the city with the banner "From today no worker works more than 8 hours a day! Must do 8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest, 8 hours of fun!" The strike attracted more and more participants. On the same day, in other industrial centers in the United States, 5,000 strikes broke out with 340,000 workers participating. In Washington, New York, Baltimore, Boston... more than 125,000 workers won the right to work only 8 hours a day.
The protests were severely suppressed. Employers fired workers on strike, hired people to work in neighboring cities, hired provocateurs and police to suppress, sabotage the workers' struggle. Violent conflicts caused hundreds of workers to die and be injured, many union leaders were arrested ... causing the Haymarket massacre that killed 4 people, injured more than 70 and over 100 people were arrested in 1886 in Chicago, USA. But in the end, employers must accept the workers' demands.
On June 20, 1889, three years after the "tragedy" in Chicago, the Second Communist International was convened in Paris (France). Under the leadership of Friedrich Engels, the First Congress of the Second Communist International decided to take May 1 every year as the day of demonstration of forces and common struggle of the proletariat of all countries.
In 1920, under Lenin's approval, the Soviet Union (former) was the first country to allow people to take time off work on International Labor Day on May 1. This initiative was gradually adopted by many other countries around the world.
Today, International Labor Day has become a great festival of the two working classes and the working people of Vietnam. This is also a day to show solidarity and friendship with the working class and working people all over the world, fighting together for the victory of peace, freedom, democracy and social progress.
