People march during the Workers' Day parade organized by the CGT union in Paris, on May 1, 1948. AFP
Public holiday, day of protest, sprigs of lily of the valley: May 1 is a unique annual event in France, the product of nearly 140 years of social struggle.
A rallying day to demand an eight-hour workday
May 1 emerged from the workers' movements of the late 19th century in Europe and North America. Everywhere, the demand was the same: to limit the workday to eight hours, instead of the then-common 10- to 12-hour shifts.
In 1889, the Second International, meeting in Paris during the Universal Exhibition, adopted a resolution to organize a coordinated protest on a fixed date in all countries. "The main issue was not necessarily May 1, but rather finding a common day for action," explained Arnaud-Dominique Houte, professor at Sorbonne University and a specialist in contemporary history. The date was chosen in reference to American unions, which called for mobilization on May 1, 1890.
