Labour Movements Cry 'Mayday!'
By GulfStreamBlues on Thursday, May 1 2008, 13:56 - Permalink
May
1 is a traditional workers' day holiday across most of Europe, with
most of the countries on the continent having the day off (the UK and
Ireland save the day off for the following Monday). It coincides with a
traditional pagan holiday welcoming spring, and such festivities are a
big part of the celebrations. But it is also a traditional day for
labour protests, although the intensity of those has tapered off over
the years.
Berlin, for example, used to see massive street
protests. But over the past five years they've dwindled to almost
nothing. In fact May Day in Europe is quickly coming to resemble the
watered-down version that is celebrated in September in the United
States (it was put at that time as a compromise with unions because the
government thought the traditional May 1 was too radical). Like in the
United States, where few people could tell you what Labor Day
celebrates, May 1 in the Europe has now also begun to lose its meaning
in Europe.
However
in other areas of the world it still maintains relevence. In Turkey the
day still has huge significance. Though it is anormal working day in
Turkey, the government has had to resist intenseunion pressure this
year to make it a day off. Today has already seen violent clashes in
Istanbul. Turkish riot police used water cannons and tear gas to
disperse crowds gathering for an outlawed May Day rally in central
Istanbul today, according to Reuters.
In
fact in many ways May Day's significance is shifting to the developing
world, as can be seen by activity today. In Egypt, the Al-Ahram weekly reports that for the first time in five years the government is going to have to take May Day demands seriously.
In Africa, celebrations across the continent are quite large. In South Africa,
for instance, it is a very big deal. And in neighboring Zimbabwe the
government is using it as a morale booster in the midst of the
deepening crisis there.
However in India, papers noted the
exceptionally mild May Day the country has experienced this year,
echoing the trend in Europe. THAIndian noted, "Labour Day, once an
occasion to bring most of India’s organised workers together, was a
relatively insipid affair around the country Thursday, with trade
unions organising a few rallies. Governments inthe Communist-ruled
states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura observeda holiday. There were
small trade union rallies in some towns besides acandle-light rally by
sex workers in Kolkata demanding recognition asorganised labour."
Labour
as an organising force and as a global social movement seems to be
declining in significance in politics and in people's lives, most
acutely in the West. What will this mean for the future of the working
class and for the way politics and economics intersect? With global
enthusiasm for Labour as an organising and inspiring force dying, what
movements will step in to take their place? Will religious movements be
the Labour of the 21st century?
Comments
I really can't see religious movements becoming the labour of the 21st century. Here in secular Britain religion and it's influence over peoples everyday lives is dying a slow death.
Well it's difficult to see that happening in secular Britain amongst white middle class people, but what about amongst minorities and immigrants? The UK is without a doubt facing a rising tide of religiosity amongst its citizens of Middle Eastern, African and Carribean descent, and at the same time it is absorbing highly religious immigrants from Eastern Europe. These people are increasingly forming the bulk of the working class in this country, particularly in the service economy around London. If there is no labour movement to represent these people, its forseable that religion would provide a comforting alternative.
And one only needs to look at the fact that labour movements in Turkey are dying while religiousity and political Islam are on the rise in that country to see a correlation. People need movements to motivate them to group action, and in the 21st century, which has become increasinly individual-focused in the West, the only thing offering that movement is fundamentalist religion.