Labour Day in Australia is a public holiday that honours the achievements of workers and the labour movement, particularly the establishment of the eight-hour workday. The holiday is observed on different dates across Australian states and territories.

Table of Contents

1. When is Labour Day?
2. The History of Labour Day?
3. What Do People Do on This Day?
4. What was the Haymarket Affair?

When is Labour Day?

Labour Day is observed on the second Monday in March each year in Victoria, Australia. The following is the list of Labour Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Labour Day? 

In the early 19th century, Australian workers faced harsh conditions such as long hours with 10-14 hours per day and six days a week, low wages, poor conditions with no protection for workers' health or safety. Inspired by workers' rights movements in Europe and North America, especially the Haymarket Affair, Australian labourers began pushing for better conditions and shorter working hours.

The most significant event in Australia's labour history was the Eight-Hour Workday Movement. On April 21, 1856, stonemasons in Melbourne walked off the job and marched to Parliament House to demand 8 hours of work, 8 hours of rest, 8 hours of leisure, without a pay cut.

After negotiations, Victoria became one of the first places in the world to adopt the eight-hour workday. The success in Melbourne inspired workers across Australia to demand similar rights.

Following the success of the Melbourne stonemasons, the eight-hour workday was gradually adopted in other states. To commemorate the victories of workers, Australian states began recognizing Labour Day as a public holiday at different times.

Today, Labour Day is still observed as a public holiday, but activism has decreased. People now use the long weekend for leisure and shopping.

What Do People Do on This Day?

Labour Day is a public holiday in Australia that gives many people a day off to relax and celebrate the achievements of the workers' movement.

In some states, trade unions and workers' groups organize marches and rallies to commemorate the struggles for workers' rights. Many cities host free entertainment, music and cultural events. Some areas celebrate with fireworks, especially in Western Australia and Victoria. Many Labour Day festivals include concerts featuring local artists.

Because Labour Day falls on a Monday, it creates a long weekend, and many people use the extra day off on short trips or vacations to travel, or spend time with families.

What was the Haymarket Affair?

The Haymarket Affair, also known as the Haymarket Riot, was a significant event in the history of labour movements, occurring on May 4, 1886, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It became a pivotal moment for labour rights across the world and played a key role in the establishment of Labour Day on May 1st.

Workers often faced long hours, low pay, and dangerous working conditions in the late 19th century. Labour  unions were fighting for an eight-hour workday, among other rights. On May 4, 1886, a peaceful rally was held at Haymarket Square in Chicago to support workers striking for an eight-hour day and to protest the killing and wounding of several workers by the police during a strike the previous day.

As the rally was winding down, and after a heavy police presence arrived, an unknown person threw a bomb at the police. The bomb blast and ensuing gunfire resulted in the death of several police officers and civilians. The events that followed were marked by a sensationalized trial. Eight anarchists were arrested and charged with conspiracy connected to the bombing. Despite a lack of direct evidence linking them to the bomb, seven were sentenced to death and one to a long prison term. Four were executed, one committed suicide, and the remaining three were eventually pardoned.

The Haymarket Affair became a symbol of the struggle for workers' rights. It highlighted the growing tensions between labour and capital in the industrializing United States. The affair remains an important historical event, symbolizing the struggle for workers' rights and contributing to the development of labuor movement globally.