Labor Day in Australia (03/10)

Despite the name, no one works in Australia on Labor Day — is an official day off.

Most countries around the world celebrate Labor Day on May 1st.

In Australia, this holiday is tied to different dates in different states of the country. In Western Australia — is the first Monday in March, in Victoria and Tasmania — is the second Monday in March. In Queensland and the Northern Territory — is the first Monday in May. For the Capital Territory (i.e. Canberra), New South Wales and South Australia Labor Day — is the first Monday in October. And all because in different states they came to work 8 hours a day at different times.

Labor Day — is an annual international holiday celebrated in almost all countries and marks (no matter how pretentious it may sound these days) the economic and social achievements of workers in the struggle for their rights. In particular, for an eight-hour working day. By the way, in Australia 8 Hours Day — Eight Hours Day — is the official name of the holiday.

If you look closely, you can see the numbers — 888 — on many buildings in Australia. These numbers appeared as a sign of support for British socialist Robert Owen, who sincerely believed that people needed 8 hours to work, 8 to rest and have fun and 8 hours to sleep. This philosophy helped promote the 8 Hour Movement.

On 21 April 1856, stonemasons and construction workers in Melbourne ceased work and marched from the University of Melbourne to Parliament House, advocating an 8-hour working day. Their action was successful, and the city residents themselves were recognized as the first organized workers in the world to achieve the transition to an 8-hour working day without loss of wages. This, of course, inspired the others and ultimately led to the celebration of Labor Day or May Day.

It is worth mentioning that previously the working day lasted much longer than — from 10 to 12 hours six days a week. While changes in working hours were achieved in the late 1850s, the transition to a five-day working week took almost another century. The only turning point was... 1948.

On Labor Day, Australians relax or parade, remembering all the achievements made by trade unions on behalf of workers and for workers.

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