Viet Nam Human Rights
May Day and significant milestones
4/5/16
May 1, the working class of Vietnam and workers throughout the world are celebrating the 130th anniversary of International Workers' Day (May Day).
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On May 1, 1886, in response to the call from the American Federation of Labour, workers in Chicago went on a strike for 40 days, attended scores of meetings and paraded through the streets asking for an eight-hour working day. A bloody massacre by the administration took place several days later, raising waves of strikes and meetings throughout the world, including in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and other countries which forced the administration to issue the eight-hour working day law. May Day was officially recognised as an annual holiday at the Second International Congress on July 14, 1889.
From the early years of the twentieth century, Nguyen Ai Quoc (President Ho Chi Minh) had spread Marxism-Leninism throughout Vietnam to help Vietnam's working class better understand the movements of communists, workers and unions throughout the world, particularly the Russian October Revolution and the May Day.
On May 1, 1925, workers from Cho Lon, Di An railway and Da Nang went on a strike to express their support for the Soviet Union. In August 1925, workers from the Ba Son Shipyard in former Saigon asked for higher wages and backed the movements of workers in Shanghai, China. These first struggles marked the combination of patriotism with international proletarianism and were a significant milestone in the struggle movement among the Vietnam's working class.
In February 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam was established which defined in its first Platform the role and historical mission of the working class as the leading class of the revolution and the pillar of the alliance of workers and farmers. The struggle movement on May 1, 1930 marked the beginning of a revolutionary high tide in 1930-1931. For the first time, under the leadership of the Party and the mobilisation of the Red Union, workers and farmers joined meetings and demonstrations in celebration of the May Day and in support of the world working class.
During the 1936-1939 period, May Day was celebrated publicly, particularly the May Day celebration on May 1, 1938 in Hanoi with the participation of more than 25,000 people, demonstrating the power of the working people.
On February 18, 1946, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No.22c regulating May 1 as an official holiday in Vietnam. Later on April 29, 1946, President Ho signed the Decree No.56 stipulating that workers are entitled to be paid on May Day. And on May 1, 1946, for the first time in the history of Vietnam, May Day was celebrated in Hanoi with the participation of 200,000 working people. Since then, May Day has become a major holiday in Vietnam and is regarded as the festival of the working class and working people in Vietnam.
During the process of national construction and defence, particularly in the 30-years of Doi Moi, Vietnam's working class has grown in both quantity and quality. The industrial sector currently makes up over 65% of the GDP and over 70% of the State budget.
In Resolution No. 20 of the Party Central Committee (10th tenure), the Party defined the working classes great historical mission as the ruling class of the revolution, the representative class of advanced production methods, pioneers in the cause of socialism building and the leading force in the cause of industrialisation and modernisation.
With nearly nine million members, 130 grassroots trade unions, the Vietnam Trade Union has overcome many challenges to help workers and civil servants to make practical contributions to the rights and legitimate interests of trade union members. Over the past 87 years, the Vietnam Trade Union has continued to affirm its role as an organisation representing and supporting the rights and interests of workers.
Vietnam has officially signed and implemented the Trans-Pacific Partnership which will create both opportunities and challenges for workers and trade unions including fierce competition for jobs, wages, social security policies, promotion opportunities, working capacity, skills among others. Thus, the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress stated that more attention should be paid to the education and training of workers as well as improving their working conditions and income along with revising policies related to salary, social insurance and social welfare to protect the rights of workers.
On the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the International Workers' Day and 70th anniversary of the signing of the Decree No.56 by President Ho Chi Minh, the working class of Vietnam will unite and stand with workers worldwide in the struggle for peace, independence, democracy and social progress. The working class of Vietnam along with the entire Vietnamese people are determined to successfully implement the Resolution of the 12th Party Congress and actively participate in the upcoming elections of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and the People's Councils at all levels in the 2016-2021 tenure.
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All comments [ 10 ]
The origin of May Day is indissolubly bound up with the struggle for the shorter workday – a demand of major political significance for the working class.
Although the demand for higher wages appears to be the most prevalent cause for the early strikes in this country, the question of shorter hours and the right to organize were always kept in the foreground when workers formulated their demands against the bosses and the government.
As exploitation was becoming intensified and workers were feeling more and more the strain of inhumanly long working hours, the demand for an appreciable reduction of hours became more pronounced.
A variety of socialist organizations sprung up throughout the later half of the 19th century, ranging from political parties to choir groups.
Many of these socialists were ham-strung by the political process which was so evidently controlled by big business and the bi-partisan political machine.
It is celebrated on the first day of May, right after the Reunification Day; as a result, the two holidays are normally joined together into one break.
On this occasion of public holidays, services and offices like banks, schools and other governmental institutions are closed—only service of tourism is available.
Vietnamese people living in major cities often head back to their hometown or travel to tourist attractions.
Together with more than 80 countries all over the world, the International Workers' Day, as known as International Labor Day or May Day in Vietnam, is a public holiday of the nation.
May Day, or Labor Day, is a public holiday in many countries worldwide. It usually occurs around May 1, but the date varies across countries. It is associated the start of spring as well as the celebration of workers.
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