World Labor Day is today (May 01). This time it is being celebrated in this country under the theme “People friendly workplace; a safe country”.
However, there will be no Labor Day rallies this year due to the situation in the country with the Corona Pandemic.
A comprehensive program is in place to protect the Sri Lankan working class who have been affected by the corona pandemic; Commissioner General of Labor Prabhath Chandra Keerthi stated.
He said that the active workforce in the country is 8.6 million and the participatory workforce is 52.3%.
Workers gathered in Chicago, USA, to protest, demanding an eight-hour shift, On May 1, 1886 and several protests were attacked by police.
A large number of workers were killed and others arrested.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) declared May 1, the beginning of the workers’ struggle, as World Labor Day in 1889 and since then, May 1 has been World Labor Day.
Demonstrations, rallies and festivals are organized in every country of the world to commemorate the day.
However, steps have been taken to ban World Labor Day celebrations in many places around the world including in Sri Lanka this time due to the Corona pandemic.
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