Today is May 1st. Which may not mean much to some people. But in many countries May 1 is an official holiday which is commonly referred to as International Workers’ Day or May Day. The list of countries in which May is a national holiday is very long and includes Germany, France, Russia, China, Spain, Italy and many more countries. If you are ordering translation services from GTS around May 1st, please bear in mind that slowdowns may result owing to the holiday.
Ironically, and even though May 1 is not celebrated in the United States, International Workers’ Day originated due to an event that took place in the USA: the Haymarket affair was a bombing in Chicago that interrupted a peaceful demonstration for worker’s rights. Despite this fact, the USA celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday in September. and May 1 is just another work day.
Much can be said for the United State’s way of celebrating Labor Day. Since it is always observed on a Monday, the disruption to the economy is minimized. And it can be said that the “long weekend” even stimulates productivity since people need a break now and then. But in countries that celebrate May 1st, the holiday is observed no matter what day of the week it falls on. In years like 2019, when May 1 falls in the middle of the week, productivity at workplaces is low in the first week of May.
If you are celebrating May Day this year, have a nice holiday. If you are not, then have a great day at work.
