For Rajbeer, a 22 year-old helper in a roadside restaurant at Anna Nagar locality, May 1 is just another day in his life. “I got up early this morning as I do every day and in all likelihood I will go to sleep not before midnight,” he said.
When he was asked if he heard anything about the ‘International Workers’ Day’ or the ‘May Day’ as it is more popularly known, he shook his shoulders.
Rajbeer smiled when told that May Day stands for workers’ right to have eight hours working day, proper remuneration and social security. For him, even the thought of this was strange. “Time par khana aur pagaar mil jaae yahi bahut hai,” (Its sufficient if we get food and wages on time), he said.
The story of Geeta, a domestic worker who lives in Tulsi Nagar slum locality, is no different. When asked if she has heard about May Day, she said, “Yes I have read about it in newspapers. Ye lal jhande walon ka program hai kyaIJ (Is it some programme of the red-flag bearersIJ)
Obviously, she was referring to the leftist organizations that are identified with the day. She did not have any idea about the significance of the day for workers all over the world.
Geeta and Rajbeer are just two examples of the millions of workers in the unorganized sector in the state who are not only unaware of the significance of May Day but are also unaware of their rights as workers.
Ironically, the relevance of May Day in terms of workers right is downplayed even by those who are at better positions in the organized sector.
“We do not observe the May Day as it belongs to the communist organisations who celebrate it. Instead, we observe the birthday of lord Vishwakarma as the workers’ day. On that day, we worship him and pray for welfare of workers,” said President of Madhya Pradesh Rajya Karmachari Sangh Jitendra Singh.
“May Day represents a historical victory of the working class in enforcing it democratic rights more than a century ago. In present times, when workers rights are again facing serious erosion it would be unhistorical to limit the significance of May Day to any particular ideology,” said State Coordinator of Trade Union Centre of India Deepak Bundele.
“The day gives us an opportunity to remind the government of its duty to enforce the labour laws ensuring proper wages, working conditions and provide social security to nearly 2 crore unorganised sector workers in the State,” he added.