Worldwide, the first of May marks
the Labor Day in honor of the Martyrs of Chicago, an American company worker
killed in that city in 1886, by carrying out a strike for a day's work of eight
hours.
In July 1889 Congress held in
Paris with representatives of international workers in several European
countries, which decided to create the Second International, an organization
whose purpose was that of advocate for the establishment of a pro-labor
legislation working class, The French delegation presented the initiative to be
preserved in memory the sacrifice of the workers killed in the pursuit of
improvements to which all workers are entitled. Congress approved the
initiative and stated that every first of May, the labor groups efectuarian
public demonstrations, in addition to demand improvements in their living
conditions.
In Mexico, from the last decade
of last century, the commemoration of this date started indoors. And it was not
until this century, in 1913, the Casa del Obrero Mundial, Mexican labor
organization founded last year, made the first labor parade in the capital.
The huge demonstration for his
time, brought together about 25 thousand workers and craftsmen of diverse
activities (railroad workers, weavers, carpenters, shoemakers, etc.). The press
then was the news that the contingent began the tour at the Constitution Square
at 10 am, Cathedral and through the portals of the square, to enfilarse down
the street of San Francisco, the current Francis I . Madero and lead the
Central Alameda, where he held a rally in the House to Benito Juarez.
The demonstration was not the
last act of the day. The workers moved to the House of Representatives to bring
the legislators their most pressing demands, among which were a maximum working
day of eight hours, compensation for accidents at work and the recognition by
employers of their organizations and leaders. Not satisfied, contingent workers
moved to the Plaza de Santa Catarina to honor the railroad hero, Jesus Garcia,
who in the population of Nacozari, Sonora, performed the feat to divert a train
loaded with dynamite at the expense of his own life. The commemoration of May
Day, 1913, was a full day for Mexican workers.
However, the dictator Victoriano
Huerta was with deep concern the increase in protests and demonstrations that
followed the parade, to silence them sent to jail several leaders of the Casa
del Obrero Mundial, prompting a further boost to organizations workers. The
following year, May Day was commemorated by the founding of the Confederation
of the Federal District.
The process of organizing Mexican
workers received strong support when it enacted the 1917 Constitution, a
document that introduced, in addition to individual rights, social guarantees.
With Article 123, relating to labor and social welfare, laid the foundation for
estgablecimiento of better living conditions for workers and their familiuas,
reconocindoseles various rights, such as strike and to form organizations to
defend their interests.
In 1918, the city of Saltillo,
Coahuila, a conference was held which culminated in the founding of the
Federation of Mexican Workers (CROM). The first of May 1919 this organization,
determined to enforce labor rights, despite that this had to confront the
government-organized for the first time in its history the commemoration of the
Martyrs of Chicago, which ended with acts the imprisonment of their leaders.
Weathered many adversities
workers and their organizations, and it was during the presidency of General
Alvaro Obregon in 1923, that the celebration of May Day was instituted as a
party of the working class. In 1925 the CROM celebrated Labor Day with a parade
worker who was witnessed honor of President Plutarco Elias Calles. Since that
time, we commemorate this day with various events organized towards the major
unions and confederations of workers in virtually every city in the country.
