Listen&Learn: History of Labour Day

Learn about holidays celebrating workers’ rights

Pre-listening vocabulary

• effort: hard work to achieve a result
• union: a group of workers that have come together to protect their own rights
• strike: a type of protest where people refuse to work
• negotiate: to try to come to an agreement about something
• advocate: to show support for something
• parade: a celebratory march

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:34 — 1.4MB)

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Gapfill exercise

In many countries around the world, a celebration of workers’ takes place on May 1st. This is called May Day, and it recognizes the efforts of unions to improve the working conditions of the Industrial Revolution. During that time, many people worked ten or more every day, and their work environments involved high risks of and injury. Workers organized strikes to negotiate an eight-hour workday. The general strike that led to May Day actually took place in Chicago in 1886. However, the United States and Canada celebrate a different , called Labour Day, on the first Monday of September. This day originates from a union of Toronto print workers, who held parades and protests to advocate for labour rights. It became a holiday in both countries in 1894.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. May Day is celebrated
   a. only in the United States
   b. in Canada and the United States
   c. around the world
   
2. Workers on strike during the Industrial Revolution were mostly advocating for
   a. more national holidays
   b. an eight-hour workday
   c. more job opportunities
   
3. The general strike that inspired May Day took place in
   a. Chicago
   b. Toronto
   c. London

Discussion/essay questions

1. Many of the unions that inspired May Day and Labour Day were organizing illegally. Today, unions are protected by law in many places. What do people think about unions where you live? Why might a country make unions illegal?

Transcript

In many countries around the world, a celebration of workers’ rights takes place on May 1st. This is called May Day, and it recognizes the efforts of unions to improve the working conditions of the Industrial Revolution. During that time, many people worked ten or more hours every day, and their work environments involved high risks of disease and injury. Workers organized strikes to negotiate an eight-hour workday. The general strike that led to May Day actually took place in Chicago in 1886. However, the United States and Canada celebrate a different holiday, called Labour Day, on the first Monday of September. This day originates from a union of Toronto print workers, who held parades and protests to advocate for labour rights. It became a national holiday in both countries in 1894.

Answers to comprehension questions

1c 2b 3a