This world where the mighty trample the workers
and tell us this is the way it must be
will collapse
and a world of freedom will arise
where everyone will contribute to a better life
said August Spies when sentenced to death by the tribunal
charged for being the leader of May 1st 1886
By the second half of the XIXth century
the economy of Europe and the United States had been totally transformed
many workers that lived out of what they produced from the fields
now depend on salary
farmers, shoemakers, artisans
all of them are now operators
12... 13... 16 hours of work
Beat-point
Precarious conditions, little money to eat, live, and return to work
They sold the strength of their arms too cheaply
Short afterwards, they discovered that such strength could be used
to defend themselves, their families and companions
The operator's indignation ripens
new lines of action and thought appear
that look for the organization of workers
they dreamed with a new society
with no oppressed nor opressor
a just, fraternal society
In Chicago, the beginning of a general strike was called for May 1st
stopped operatives, stopped machines
workers from all genders in the streets to fight for a better, renewed life
The repression shot its arms cowardly
and 6 people died
in answer, anarchists called for a grand act
on the day of May 4th at the Haymarket Square
the troop in service marched again against the masses
a bomb interrupted the journey
Fussiles and machine guns sounded highly
too highly
it's been said that for 5 minutes
rioters died, police too
All of them workers from all genders
someone had to be considered guilty
and 5 leaders from the worker's movement were arrested
sentenced to the capital punishment
the judgement would be annuled years after their death
the ideas, not since
they are not made from flesh nor bones
they defeat death and win the world
In 1889, the II International Socialist
announces May 1st as the Worker's Day
The main flag, the reduction of the working day
8 hours of work
8 hours of pleasure
8 hours of rest
1890, Spain for 8 hours of work
1907, Festival in La Paz, Bolivia
1909, 30 thousand people in Buenos Aires, Argentina
1913, 25 thousand workers in Mexico
In Russia, the Czar falls
the victory of popular power invites to the awakening of rights
the fight of workers, symbolized by the May 1st,
was improving the life and allowing new demands
In 1919 the ILO, International Labour Organization,
have determined 8h of workday and 40h of working week.
Goverments and entrepreneur celebrate with the workers
Great carnivals of music, games and gifts
amused and inebriated the memory of the date
they wanted to reinvent the May 1st
But if have ever marked in the calendars
Day of fight!
1920, ten thousands workers in Japan
1925, founded the National Confederation
of Chinese Syndicates
1946, Australia, Aboriginals does a strike to reclaim better labour conditions
1950, mobilization in South Africa
1954, 30 thousand people in Honduras
1962, tens of thousands people in Portugal
1968, Paris Spring, workers and students
1970, Seatle, EUA, protests against the war in Vietnam and Cambodia
1975, Angola, national holiday
1978, Chile, protests agains the ditatorial government of Pinochet
It is May, the our May...