May Day, Labour Day, International Worker's Day

May 1st, often called May Day, just might have more holidays than any other day of the year.

In many countries, May Day is also Labor Day. This originates with the United States labor movement in the late 19th Century. On May 1, 1886, unions across the country went on strike, demanding that the standard workday be shortened to eight hours. Rioting in Chicago's Haymarket Square on May 4th including a bomb thrown by an anarchist led to the deaths of a dozen people (including several police officers) and the injury of over 100 more.

May 1st, also called International Workers' Day, commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world, and is recognized in most countries. The United States of America and Canada are among the exceptions. This despite the origin of the holiday. International Workers' Day (a name used interchangeably with May Day) is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international labour movement.