This is a brief recap which deals with the history of May Day commemorations in the world and in Sri Lanka.
Around 40 thousand striking workers who converged on Chicago in the United States on 01st May 1886, staged processions demanding an eight hour work shift per day. Attempts were made by the employers of the McCormick Factory in Chicago to suppress the strike organized by the labourers of the factory, thus resulting in a brawl.
The situation aggravated by 03rd May. Three workers died while around 50 sustained injuries when the Police opened fire. A massive rally was organized on 04th May in the Central Square of Chicago in protest of this shooting. International Labour Day was declared on 01st May in the year 1886, as a result of the struggle staged in Chicago demanding an eight hour work shift.
The first May Day was commemorated in Sri Lanka under the patronage of Labour Leader A.E. Goonesinghe in the year 1927. But the first May Day Rally was staged in the year 1933 under his leadership. However, the May Day became more meaningful in 1956 under the leadership of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike during the Sri Lanka Freedom Party administration, which granted high benefits to the working class. The Labour Minister during that period was T.B. Ilangaratne.
It was under this administration that May Day was not only declared a holiday, but relief was granted to workers by legalizing the eight hour work shift, launching the Pension Scheme for the Public Sector and the Employees Provident Fund for workers in the Private Sector.
While such relief was granted to the working class by a Sri Lanka Freedom Party Government, the subsequent United National Party administration banned May Day processions and rallies and attacked the working class. It was they who dismissed thousands of workers during the 1980 July Strike.
Dr. Colvin R. De Silva who sustained injuries in an assault mooted at the May Day rally organized by Leftist Parties in 1987, going against the ban imposed by the then President J.R. Jayawardene on processions and meetings, was bed ridden until his demise. Two persons died in a shooting that took place at the May Day meeting held at the Abhayarama temple in Narahenpita in the year 1988. No such suppression is experienced at present. The working class is afforded an opportunity to stage May Day commemorations, organize processions and May Day rallies.
This freedom enjoyed by the working class under the United People’s Freedom Alliance Government led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and President Rajapaksa, has been complemented by maximum benefits for workers by the increase of salaries in each budget, grant of jobs to hundreds of thousands of graduates and generating a large number of jobs through mega development programmes.
All political parties can hold May Day processions and rallies today. But there are not further demands for labour rights, since the Government has given workers maximum facilities.
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