Vita gazette – The episode that inspired the date on which Labor (or Workers’) Day is currently celebrated in many countries of the world, took place in the United States, in Chicago on May 1, 1886.

The origin of the Labor Day, which is currently celebrated in many countries of the world, dates back to Chicago, May 1, 1886: in the mid-nineteenth century, the workers worked about 16 hours a day. Furthermore, the working conditions were very bad, there was no safety at work. Workplace deaths were now on the agenda. Workers who couldn’t stand it started speaking for better and more humane working conditions in Chicago, United States. The protest went on for three days and on May 4 culminated in a real battle between the striking workers and the Chicago police: eleven people lost their lives in what would go down in history as the Haymarket massacre.

Three years later, on July 20, 1889, during the first congress of the Second International (the organization created by the European socialist and workers’ parties) in Paris, the idea of ​​a large demonstration was launched to demand that work be reduced to 8 hours.  In choosing the date, the Chicago episodes of 1886 were taken into account and it was decided to celebrate work and workers on May Day.