Also called International Workers’ Day, International Labor Day is observed on 1st May, or the first Monday in May, every year. It is a paid public holiday in most countries.
Promoted by the international labour movement, International Labour Day is a celebration of labourers and the working classes.
In 1955, the Catholic Church dedicated 1st May to Saint Joseph the worker, who was a patron saint of workers and craftsmen.
The American workers were inspired to have their first stoppage of work after Australian stonemasons in Victoria undertook a mass stoppage to press for an 8-hour workday on 21st April 1856. In 1886, 1st May was chosen to be the International Workers’ Day to pay tribute to the workers killed due to police firing during a strike at Haymarket Square massacre in Chicago.
In India, International Labour Day was first celebrated by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on 1st May 1923. The party leader, Singarevelu Chettiar organized to celebrate the International Labour Day in two places, namely, at a beach opposite Madras High Court and at Triplicane beach.
Recent suggestions by some industry leaders asking to work 70-hour week bring us back to an era Haymarket Square massacre. However, this time the ask by industry leaders is from white-collared workers who have no unions and hence soft targets to be pushed into 70-hour work week as against International Labour Organization recommendations of 40 hours per week of work.
As an Occupational Health physician, my suggestion would be to have a 40-hour workweek to have a work life balance. A 40-hour workweek will minimize fatigue and mental health issues amongst workers and contribute immensely to an organizations’ productivity. A 70-hour workweek may be counter-productive.
For the good of all, it is best to respect the ILO recommendations and continue with the 40-hour workweek. This will earn the employers the respect of workers as the workers feel respected. Times are changing, and anything more than 40-hour workweek should be voluntary and monetarily compensated.
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Dr Ajay Sati is an Occupational Health physician who prefers to describe himself as an Occupationist, to denote, ‘an expert in diseases and other concerns of occupations.’ Dr Sati has managed health and wellness programs in industries he worked, like the atomic energy, and energy (oil & gas) in India and overseas. An experienced virtual consultation expert he was involved in many greenfield and brownfield projects providing inputs from health point of view.
