This coming Friday it’s Workers’ Day.  In many countries it is a public holiday. A day marked with a wide range of activities. Locally, a quick search in the website of the leading political parties and organisations associated with workers, at the time of writing Sunday evening, has not placed an advert to promote their activity to mark Workers’ Day this year. It is rather sad if no public activities are planned to mark Workers’Day. Of course, political parties will organise 1 May Workers’ Day activities closer to the general election.

Workers’ day was chosen to be International Workers’ Day in order to commemorate the 4 May, 1886 bombing that took place during a demonstration in Haymarket Square, Chicago. During the demonstration in support of workers striking for an eight-hour day, several workers were killed by the police.

Seventy years later the Catholic Church dedicated 1 May to St. Joseph the Worker, He became known as the Patron Saint of the workers and is frequently shown holding his carpenter’s tools.     

Workers’ day is an opportunity to reflect on the role of workers in a social market economy.  Issues like productive work, workers’ dignity, duties, rights, and family-work-life-balance all play an important role in a fast changing working world. There are other pressing issues which should be addressed the one like - much as profits are important to entrepreneurs’, workers should receive a salary which is commensurate with their duties.

Though, with the unregulated growing share of independent service providers in a flexible labour market, workers are facing a new set of challenges.  From figures published by the National Statistics Office, these days more workers need to take part-time employment in addition to their full-time employment thus working longer hours to make good for their financial monthly commitments. In this regard Government has failed to address properly the precarious employment issue.

Lately, persons in key positions started to float the idea that Workers’ Day celebrations are an anachronism and an outright anathema in this day and age. I might be biased but I do not share this view.

Gladly, gone are the days when left leaning political parties and trade unions supported, not with good reason or just cause, in more ways than one, officially and unofficially, each other and made a mockery of Workers’ Day celebrations.

In the former Eastern Bloc under the Communist Regimes, May Day celebrations were organised during which party leaders greeted the crowds. Workers carried banners with political slogans and included military displays. Workers’ dignity and rights were certainly not celebrated. Thankfully, this has stopped.

The far-left died a natural death.  Many of its failed economic theories which pushed people into poverty and hardship are now dead and buried.

Saint Pope John Paul II and Lech Walesa, Nobel Prize winner were leaders amongst other catalysts to put an end to years of communism in the eastern bloc. This opened flood gates in the eastern-bloc countries as independent trade unions mushroomed and strived to bring down totalitarian governments. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 brought families back together after 28 years.  

But that was yesterday. Today Workers’ Day celebrations of various forms can be exceptionally meaningful if we are capable to redefine the meaning of workers. Regardless of status, responsibilities, duties and earnings in all economic activities workers efforts should not go by unrecognised.

Political parties, trade unions and employers’ organisation have made big strides forward and today through meaningful social dialogue can on many occasions undo multifaceted industrial disputes and nip in the bud arising differences.    

The three stakeholders on many occasions make every effort to seek solutions and reach just agreements. They should be credited for their efforts, however in all circumstances economic policies should  be at the service of the worker, and not the other way round. This is a challenge which has to be kept under regular watch.

In addition, problems associated with growing numbers of unemployed workers, and workers in the informal economy should be raised on Workers’ Day.

Whether white or blue-collar, managerial or administrative, bureaucratic or entrepreneurial - work is treasurable. However, this should not be taken for granted.

Indeed, next Friday in addition to Workers’ Day celebrations Malta will mark the eleventh anniversary since Malta joined the European Union.The PN as catalysts of change have good reason to celebrate Workers’ Day and celebrate they should.

 

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