The Origins of May Day Explanations

The first of May is the day celebrating the rights as well as the fights of the workers. But, do you know the origins and the struggles that arise from it. May the working days not being regulated, the American unions organize a day of strike. Limit the working day to 8 hours. During this strike, several clashes took place between the police and the demonstrators. Unfortunately, this will result in several deaths. A few years later, in 1889, the 2nd Socialist International meeting in Paris, will choose May Day as a day of workers’ demands. Nowadays, although May Day is born in the United States, Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday of September and not on May Day.

The origins of Labor Day

First intervention of the legislator in order to limit the working time of employees the law of December 31, 1889. At that time, the work of children under 12 was a common situation. The law of December 31, 1889  prohibits this situation but it also Latvia Mobile Number Database limits working. Time to 12 hours for young boys aged 12 to 16 and young girls aged 21. In addition, this law prohibits, unless dispensed with, having these young people work at night. Long reserved for men, university degrees and diplomas in medicine and pharmacy can be obtained by women thanks to the law of April 10, 1890. Employment contracts and the right to receive one’s salary were also reserved for men.

The struggles after May Day

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Employment contracts and the right to receive one’s salary were also reserved for men. The Belgian State recognized these rights for women in 1900. However, women can only receive a maximum  of 3000 francs per year. Before this law, the worker was China Phone Number List obliged to prove that the employer was at fault in order to receive an indemnity. After the law of 1903, this was no longer necessary. The Ministry of Labor is granted 10,000 francs by the Belgian State as support for the various unemployment funds. In 1915, after the ravages of the First World War, Belgium decided to establish an unemployment benefit system allowing unemployed Belgians to survive. In 1936, an unprecedented strike took place in Belgium.

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