1st May of every year is observed, hailed and celebrated as the Day of International Solidarity of the Working Class. It is a day to recall the sufferings and sacrifices of the workers all these years and to renew our resolve to continue our struggle against exploitation of the workers and to carry forward our efforts to defend our labour rights as well as to better the living conditions of the working class.
These are times when nationally and internationally there are increased attacks on the working class and trade unions, on our jobs, job permanency and job security, on our right to decent wages, on our service conditions, on our right to collective bargaining, on our right to better living standards, etc. In the present context when there are open advocacies for flexibility to the employers to increase working hours, May Day assumes special significance.
May Day signifies our demand for defined working hours, proper work-life balance, right to leisure and right to rest and recoup. Workers with their hard labour create all the wealth. Wealth adds to the prosperity of the economy. But when it comes to distribution of wealth, workers are denied their legitimate share. Bulk of the wealth is cornered by the capitalists, the Corporates and the employer class. Unfortunately, most of the Governments also support this uneven and unjustified distribution of wealth. Hence the working masses are always given a raw deal.
In this challenging scenario, there is no other alternative for the working class to be more united locally, sectorally, nationally and internationally. There is no alternative than to pursue the path of struggles to defend our rights and to achieve new rights.
May Day is an occasion to take the pledge to fight for an end to this exploitative system and achieve a better society where working class is guaranteed their due share.
It is imperative to sharpen our understanding on working class ideology and deepen our commitment to trade union movement.
