International Workers' Day, also known as
Labour Day in some places, is a celebration of
labourers and the
working classes that is promoted by the international
labour movement,
anarchists,
socialists, and
communists and occurs every year on
May Day, 1 May, an ancient European spring holiday. The date was chosen for International Workers' Day by the
Second International to commemorate the
Haymarket affair, which occurred in
Chicago on 4 May 1886. This day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the
eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.