Why we Canadians still celebrate Labor
Day on the first Monday of September every year after 1894? Well, the related legislation
was passed on July 23 by then Conservative Prime minister Sir John Thompson.
Let’s dig into this issue, 1870s
were pretty tumultuous years in Canadian history in terms of working-class
unrest. They were working like animals without having any concept of hours or
holidays, so working 9 hours a day was the whispering demand of working class
in Toronto in that ear, it was voiced by TTU (Toronto Typographical Union) and
they walk out from the work on March 25,1872. It’s interesting to know against
who? It was technically against George Brown (1818-1891), publisher and editor
of Toronto Globe newspaper and he was leader of Liberal Party and achieved a
status of Father of Confederation till then but was deadly against his workers
demands of 9 hours work a day. The Govt was headed by Conservatives Sir John
MacDonald (1878-1891) at that time.
April 15,1872 was significant day
in terms of workers movement of Canada as the workers start getting good
support from the society and more than 10,000 workers and their sympathizers
marched through the streets of Toronto to Queen Park
George Brown became infurious and got 24 workers
leaders arrested since it was still a crime to walk away from the work. George
Brown wrote in his editorials on March 22, 1872 Toronto Globe, that the
publishers are ‘determined to be the masters of their own offices’ tells
everything about the mindset of then ruling class, ironically represented by
Liberals. Sir John Macdonald, then prime minister of Canada jumped on his
political rivals Geroge Brown who was on the other shore of the history and
tried to salvage Canadian working class by introducing Trade Union Bill in the
parliament on June 14, 1872 which provided legal status to trade unions and now
protected by the law. Conservative MacDonald became the spokes person of
working class and freed 24 working class leaders.
Now, lets have a glace on the history
of May Day. This fire was ignited 529 miles away from Toronto. Haymarket Chicago
became the churning point of working-class movement participated by more than
300,000 workers in North America by the series of strikes from May 1, 1886
(after 14 years of Canadian working-class unrest) and its violent character
left impeachable impact of the working-class history worldwide. Their demand 8
hours of work, 8 hours of rest, 8 hours of entertainment achieved the appeal
from round the corners of the globe. This slogan became the slogan of the
working class of the world.
Haymarket Movement of Chicago
left incredible impact on international working class, in 1889 Paris Resolution
was adopted by International Federation of Socialist and Labor Parties and
called upon to Make May 1st a day dedicated to working class and
their struggle. In 1904, a decree was passed by Second International calling upon
all the workers union to demonstrate in full strength on May 1st
every year since then, May 1st is the day which is known for the
working class and their struggle worldwide.
So, why Canadian Working Class is
not the part of working-class struggle of the world? Did working class of the
world derived any inspiration from Canadians events of 1870s? I don’t see a
single country following Canadian workers day. Let us examine this fact with
open mind and decide if Canadian workers should participate in the historic
movement of May 1st or continue to be alienated from working class movement
by deceiving themselves on first Monday of September? Keeping aways from the revolutionary
traditions of May 1st is infact in favor of opportunist Unions as
well as the ruling class. It’s just a day off for an average Canadian worker who
doesn’t have any world view as I heard one of my manager saying to his co-worker
before going for a long weekend; ‘Enjoy your weekend, watch porn, drink beer,
have fun’! That’s the only achievement they got since 1867.
