Forget maypole dancing. May 1st, or May Day, is a holiday to celebrate workers. It is the alternative Labor Day.
Labor Day in September
The Gilded Age, from about 1870 to 1900, was a time of rapid industrialization and robber barons—who exploited their workers—and caused a deep decline in working conditions. This, in turn, spurred the growth of labor unions and strikes.
In early Autumn of 1886, the Knights of Labor held a major convention in New York City. Around this time, many U.S. labor unions began to celebrate Labor Day in September. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland conformed to the September date when he declared Labor Day as a national holiday.
However, May Day was already a significant date for workers, worldwide.
The May 1894 Pullman Strike
To end the riotous Pullman Strike that began in May of 1894, President Grover Cleveland ordered National Guardsmen to fire into the crowd of strikers. Nearly 30 strikers were killed, and many more wounded.
Labor lost the Pullman Strike. Labor leader Eugene V. Debs ended up in prison. President Cleveland tried to placate an angry, and still powerful, labor movement.
In order to restore some popularity with workers, Cleveland signed a bill into law on [the 28th of] June 1894, which made Labor Day a national holiday.
— Labor Day in the USA - Which President Made It a National Holiday? | AS.com
The rest of the world ignored the September date for Labor Day.
International Workers’ Day in May
In 1891, the International Workers’ Association had already decided to observe Labor Day on May 1st—the anniversary of the 1886 U.S. general strike that culminated in the deadly Chicago Haymarket Riot.
What does International Workers’ Day stand for? It reminds us that labor unions fight for the rights and safety of all workers;
Shorter work hours
Safer work environments
Fair wages
The elimination of child labor
State-regulated labor conditions
Paid vacation and paid leave
Historically, important labor wins were only achieved after a bloody battle between strikers and the forces of capitalism. Remember that when you celebrate May Day.
Labor in America Today
The right balance between labor and capital provides the sweet spot for an American Dream. How well do you think the United States regulates labor conditions, compared to decades past? Can we retrieve the American Dream? Can we avoid a re-emergence of child labor? Can we build another labor movement that is powerful enough to counter the present “Gilded Age?”