St Vincent and the Grenadines joins other nations today in celebrating May Day. Labor Day or May day, stems from the efforts of the labour union movement to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers.
May 1 is a national holiday in many European countries including (but not exclusive to): Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
It is also celebrated in countries in Central America, such as Costa Rica and Panama, and in some parts of the Caribbean, including Cuba.
The Labor Day holiday, or Labour Day, is celebrated in the United States and countries such as Australia and Canada at different times of the year.
Inspired by ancient Greek festivals like the Anthesteria, May Day was originally a celebration of spring and the rebirth taking place in nature during that time of the year.
In many countries, the May 1 holiday was obtained by trade union agitation supported by socialist parties. However, in Germany where such agitation had proved fruitless, it was instituted in 1933 as a gift from Hitler, being promptly followed by the abolition of trade unions.
In the United Kingdom, a May Day Bank Holiday was instituted in 1978 for trade unionists to celebrate but was held on the first Monday in May to minimise the damage to business.
