Labor Day: What We Celebrate and When It Was Established in Greece

It is a global day dedicated to the struggles and rights of workers. Labor Day honors the historic journey of labor movements, their demands for better working conditions, and social justice. The day—originating from the events in Chicago at the end of the 19th century—remains relevant today. In Greece, May 1st is celebrated as a day of strikes, rallies, and memorial events. The worker uprising in Chicago in May 1886 saw labor unions demanding an eight-hour workday and better conditions. These protests culminated in violent clashes in Haymarket Square, leading to deaths and executions of arrested demonstrators. Inspired by these events, during the founding congress of the Second International (Socialist International) in Paris on July 20, 1889, May 1st was established internationally as Labor Day. Greece’s first celebration took place on Sunday, May 2, 1893, at the Panathenaic Stadium. About 2,000 workers marched peacefully, demanding the establishment of Sunday as a holiday, an eight-hour workday, and state support for victims of workplace accidents. In 1894, a large rally followed with similar demands, resulting in ten arrests and the detention of socialist Stavros Kallergis in August. Over the decades, labor demands continued, notably the bloody strike of tobacco workers in Thessaloniki in 1936 where 12 workers were killed. Another tragic chapter occurred in 1944 when German occupation forces executed 200 communists at the Kaisariani Firing Range as retaliation for ELAS resistance actions. Today, Labor Day in Greece serves both as a commemoration of past struggles and a platform to address current labor issues such as unemployment, flexible employment forms, and the need for worker protection in a rapidly changing world influenced by artificial intelligence. Ultimately, Labor Day reminds us that labor rights were achieved through struggle and sacrifice, and their defense remains essential. By law 4468/2017, May 1st has been officially recognized as a mandatory holiday.