Around the world, for over one hundred years, workers have celebrated May Day, initiated by the workers of Chicago in 1890 in the United States, what are known as “Demands of Three 8″: Production, Entertainment and Rest– compose the three vital elements necessary to live as human beings. Since that time May Day has had a proud history of securing worker’s rights and benefits such as the right to organise, right to strike and collective bargaining, right to decent wages and to safe working conditions. May Day grew to become an important day for the international struggle of workers and thus has been celebrated globally each year. On this occasion, we Committee for Asian Women extend solidarity with workers worldwide on this momentous day.

The labour movement has faced numerous crises that pushed workers to the brink of starvation– from the 1930s depression, post-war recessions, as well as the Asian financial meltdown of the 1990s. Today’s global financial crises pose new challenges for the labour movement. Yet workers, as represented by their trade unions pursue the struggle for decent work during these times of crises and have often prevailed to elevate workers conditions.

In 1932 American carpenters’ wages in Cedar Rapids dramatically fell below their 1920 level from 87.5 cents per hour to 70 cents. Many carpenters even accepted jobs below the 40 cents minimum wage. Employer organisations at both a national and local level exerted more power in setting low wage scales and long work hours over the unions. The creation of the National Labor Relations Act in 1935 as the result of these struggles by the strong trade unions had successfully guaranteed worker’s rights. In 1937 carpenters’ wages increased to 1.10 dollars per hour from a low of 70 cents in 1934.

In 2001, 386 workers from Ladybird Garment Company Limited Thailand signed their names to a set of demands to start the collective bargaining process. Workers chose to bargain on behalf of the whole workforce, rather than just the union, to allow temporary workers who were not allowed to join the union, to sign on to the demands. Although their success was limited, workers did get a pay rise, incentive pay, compensation for maternity leave, a clean infirmary with a full time nurse, and paid time off for union committee member activities. It made them one of the few workforces in the country to have such an agreement. The agreement also allowed the 77 locked out workers to return to work immediately without repercussions or retaliation from management. In their experience, the union felt that they had achieved one important level of success: showing the employer that their union can fight at the international level.
Today on May Day, Committee for Asian Women salutes the solidarity and courage of workers worldwide. We believe that genuine trade unions and a unified labour movement will guarantee the rights of workers as well as enable the universal evolution of human development. Thus the celebration of May Day is a reminder of the strength and the need to renew that strength and unity of the working people.

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Committee for Asian Women 

Statement on May Day 2009

Download this statement in English and in Thai here.