International workers’ day is celebrated to acknowledge the efforts of workers across the globe and raise awareness about the exploitation of labourers. It falls on the first of May every year to commemorate the Chicago Haymarket massacre in 1866 when a massive general strike for an eight-hour work day was met with brute force by the police resulting in several deaths and executions. Workers’ rights have significantly strengthened in many countries since the observance of International workers’ day began in the 19th century. Local and international movements that raged across the world in the 20th century improved working hours, wages and rights of labourers in several sectors in comparison to the absurdly exploitive working conditions that prevailed in the last couple of centuries.
However, a large section of the working class continues to be exploited and overworked for nominal pay by big corporations as they seek larger and larger profits. Workers are overworked, underpaid and restricted from forming unions by several big brands that we come across everyday like Amazon, Faceboòk and the Elon Musk-owned Tesla. Governments continue to pass resolutions that benefit corporates and push labourers into misery. Several MNCs and IT firms have used the pandemic-induced norm of work-at-home as an excuse to blur the lines between working and non-working hours. Migrant labourers are left stranded as governments announce lockdowns without warning. The unorganized sector sees the worst cases of exploitation as child labour, forced labour, and inhumane working conditions still exist across the world and in India. The exploitation of labourers in the garment sector remains a global issue as popular fashion retailers utilize the labour of severely underpaid workers who are uneducated and helpless. The fight for workers' rights is far from over, and let neither a politician nor a corporate-owner fool you into believing otherwise!

-Kiran Palathingal

(originally written and posted on Instagram @therecusant_ in May 2021)