International May Day strikes for the eight-hour workday
- When
- 1889–1890
- Where
- Paris; Transnational: United States and most European countries; Belgium; Buenos Aires
- Episodes
- 4
On 1 May 1890, coordinated one-day strikes and rallies for the eight-hour workday occurred across European and North American cities. This event marked the first international May Day, stemming from a decision by the Second International in Paris in 1889. Demonstrations took place in the United States, most European countries, and Argentina, establishing a tradition of annual commemoration.
Episodes
- Paris Decision for 1890 Demonstrations
The Second International met in Paris in July 1889 and decided that workers would demonstrate on May 1, 1890, to demand the eight-hour day.
- Argentinian Celebrations
Argentinian unions organized several celebrations in Buenos Aires and other cities in 1890, coinciding with the first international celebration.
- First International May Day Demonstrations
Demonstrations took place in the United States and most countries in Europe on 1 May 1890, marking the first international May Day.
- Belgian Strike and Creation of International Workers' Day
Following the success of the mobilization on 1 May 1890, particularly in Belgium, the date was decided to become a worldwide day of action.
Background and detail
Origins and Decision. The eight-hour day movement sought to regulate working hours, originating during the Industrial Revolution. In July 1889, the Second International met in Paris and decided that workers would demonstrate on May 1, 1890, to demand the eight-hour day. This decision followed a proposal by Raymond Lavigne to commemorate the 1886 Chicago protests, establishing the date for international demonstrations.
Immediate Aftermath. Following the immense success of the mobilization on 1 May 1890, particularly in Belgium where 150,000 workers went on strike, the date was decided to become a worldwide day of action. This led to the creation of International Workers' Day. The event was formally recognized as an annual event at the Second International's second congress in 1891.
People involved
- Second International · Organizing body that decided on the 1890 demonstrations
- Federation of Labour · Unnamed federation of labour mentioned as hoping to organize participation in May Day in 1890; full organizational identity not specified in the source
- Argentinian unions · Organized celebrations in Buenos Aires and other cities in 1890
Sources
- International Workers' Day Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
- Eight-hour day movement Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-24
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.