02 May Is May Day still a thing?!

Last week a journalist friend asked me my thoughts on May Day, or International Worker’s Day, or Labour Day (held at different times of the year across Australian states, but you get the gist). So here’s what I think of it…

What does the struggle for workers rights mean to you in modern context?

The value of workers, funny enough, has always been a struggle of “the people”, and has gone through different waves of focus, dependent on the style of work, the times, the technologies, etc. And it blows me away in terms of the negligence “the man” still has for “the workers” in some pockets / organisations / industries. May Day, or Labour Day, or International Workers’ Day, is a day where us workers can take pride in the 8-hour work day, and workers’ struggles that have been won along the way; and to shine a bit of a spotlight on the current importance of the well-being and concerns of workers today.

We don’t have to worry about trench-foot, or working with asbestos, or even the canary falling off our shoulder. Our fight today is one for diversity and acceptance, equal pay and opportunity for women in the workforce, flexibility to complement our family lives and not be swallowed whole by work, and the pending doom of work as we know it by robots… no shit! Literally… they don’t shit, hence don’t take toilet breaks. Our jobs will change and disappear fairly rapidly in the next few decades, and fighting for recognition of the value of the workforce is more important than ever.

What is Labour Day (May Day) to you and your colleagues? Do you think people are aware of the reason behind it or just enjoy the long weekend?

Do people know the history of May Day? I don’t think they generally do. Is its purpose and the outcome of what started it important? It’s vital. Its history, a march organised by the Stonemasons through Melbourne in 1856, or a workers’ demonstration in Chicago which was hampered by a bunch of Anarchists in 1886… they introduced the 8-hour work day. The continued struggle has cemented further rights, particularly here in Australia where we are afforded paid annual leave, superannuation, minimum wages… all which put us streets-ahead of some of our contemporaries (looking at you, US of A).

But no, I think perhaps those that are half in-the-know link it to the Labor Party or unions or wearing red or communism or socialism?

How do you intend to spend the day?

I’ll be wearing red, sharing this article on social media through our business’ account, particularly here on LinkedIn, where it will reach those in positions of management and ownership of businesses.

Think about your colleagues. Look for perspective on what your work-life means to you, and how it effects your family… both good and bad.

Also, of course, blast a playlist of Billy Bragg (“The Red Flag”), The Nightwatchman (“Union Song”), Bob Dylan (“Maggie’s Farm”), Rage Against The Machine (“New Millennium Homes”), Bruce Springsteen (“The Ghost Of Tom Joad”), John Lennon (“Working Class Hero”), and The Clash (“Know Your Rights”).

Most of us don’t mind our jobs, because of those before us who have fought for worker’s rights… so pay some mind.