One of the very first Labour Day marches occurred in Queensland back on the 1st of May 1891. Over 1000 people marched, banners were carried and important people wore blue sashes. Cheers were raised for the eight hour day and even the Eureka flag was flown.
Seems a lot of fuss for just another long weekend in the land of the long weekends. It's a day off from work, where we can relax, get together with family and friends, go fishing or camping or do whatever we like.
Well it wasn't like that back in the 1800s in this country. Many people could be expected to work up to 12 hours a day, six days a week - that's a 72 hour week.
In about the 1850s, a strong push came to better working conditions by way of an eight hour working day. These new work regulations were put into place, firstly in NSW in 1856, with Queensland following suit in 1858. It was the Victorian government that proclaimed the first paid public holiday, Labour Day or May Day, in 1879.
So take a moment, raise your glass, stubby or preferred drinking implement to those from long ago who made this day possible.
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