Dishonouring May day’s Haymarket Mayhem Heroes on May 1

NPP’s May Day procession last year
Photo by Kushan Pathiraja

The Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago 138 years ago, marked a significant moment where labour protests advocating for an eight-hour workday turned violent, resulting in the deaths of several workers and police officers. This event is closely associated with the origins of International Workers’ Day, observed on May 1st.

The proud tradition of May Day celebrations worldwide can be traced back to May 3, 1886 during the American workers’ struggle for an eight-hour workday. In the mid to late nineteenth century, the working class endured gruelling conditions, often working for 10 to 16 hours a day in hazardous environments. Death and injury were tragically common occurrences in workplaces across various industries. Amidst these dire circumstances, the allure of socialism grew among the working class. Socialism presented a compelling alternative, advocating for worker control over the production and distribution of goods and services. Workers began to recognize that capitalism primarily served the interests of their employers, prioritising profits over their well-being and safety.

The RED Flag symbolises Blood-Splattered shirt of slain worker

Thousands of adults and children faced untimely deaths each year in industrial settings, with life expectancies plummeting to as low as the early thirties in some cases. In this bleak landscape, socialism emerged as a beacon of hope, offering a vision of a more equitable and just society where the dignity and rights of workers were upheld. May Day thus became a symbol of solidarity and resistance, commemorating the sacrifices made by those who fought for better working conditions, fair wages and the fundamental rights of workers everywhere. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for social and economic justice, highlighting the importance of collective action and advocacy in advancing the interests of the working class. Through May Day celebrations, workers around the world unite to honour the past struggles and reaffirm their commitment to continue the fight for a more equitable and humane society.

“May Day was deemed an unfamiliar notion, an alien concept, thus deemed unsuitable for designation as a public holiday”: In the early 1920s, the Ceylon Labour Party led by A. E. Goonesinghe received this response from the Colonial government’s Legislative Council. This stance persisted into the 1930s when Marxists pressed for May 1st to be recognized as a holiday, a sentiment reiterated by the State Council. Despite the opposition, workers persisted, seeking leave and congregating at rallying points, even during the UNP governments of the 1940s and early 50s. They sacrificed personal leave to participate in rallies until Bandaranaike declared May 1st a full holiday in 1956. Subsequently, even the UNP established their trade union, JSS under J. R. Jayewardene, whose members took to the streets for the first time in the mid-1960s.

May Day became a symbol of solidarity and resistance, commemorating the sacrifices made by those who fought for better working conditions, fair wages and the fundamental rights of workers everywhere

Will the JVP march be revisiting obsolete Marxist-Leninist-Wijeweera ideologies?

The National People’s Power (NPP), led by the JVP, presents a paradoxical scenario as it gears up for the May Day march in 2024. Despite the socialist imagery of the JVP, featuring figures like Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, and Wijeweera displayed on open trucks, followed by Comrades shouting “Api Yanney Koi Paare; Marx-Lenin Giya Paare” [Guided by Marx and Lenin: Choosing Our Path Forward] the party’s recent adoption of certain capitalist policies has caused internal discord and external confusion. This contradiction within the party highlights the complex challenges it faces in reconciling its historical socialist roots with contemporary economic realities.

In a recent article, the NPP exposed numerous contradictions within its economic policies. While the party criticises the Open Economic Policy of 1977 for fostering greed and consolidating political power, it paradoxically advocates for the promotion of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and the provision of subsidies.

This inconsistency is striking, especially considering the socialist imagery and rhetoric associated with the NPP. The party’s condemnation of the Open Economic Policy suggests a desire to move away from capitalist principles, yet its support for SOEs and subsidies reflects a contradictory stance. As the NPP senses signs of victory in their online electorate, it becomes imperative for the party to address these contradictions and provide a coherent economic vision to voters. Failure to do so may undermine the party’s credibility and hinder its ability to enact meaningful change if elected to power.

These contradictions are particularly evident when the NPP leader pledges to abolish the PAYE tax and relax tax policies, directly contradicting the party’s Economic Policy document which calls for increased government revenue. Furthermore, the party’s support for state ownership of Sri Lankan Airlines conflicts with its purported stance against the sale of SOEs. The article also suggests that the failure of the economic system can be partly attributed to socialist policies recommended by the NPP, rather than solely to the Open Economic Policy. It warns of the potential consequences if the party continues with its socialist ideology, likening it to the fate of Prabhakaran and the LTTE.

In conclusion, we urge the NPP to re-evaluate its economic policies and ideologies in order to adapt to the evolving global landscape. It emphasises the importance of resolving the contradictions within the party’s economic platform to effectively tackle the country’s economic challenges and maintain political relevancy of above.

Despite socialist imagery of the NPP, featuring figures like Marx, Lenin, Trotsky, and Wijeweera displayed on open trucks, the party’s recent adoption of certain capitalist policies has caused internal discord and external confusion 

Maydays in Good Old Days

In bygone years, Marxist leaders, drenched in sweat and rain, fervently voiced their demands during May Day rallies, echoing calls such as ‘Down with Capitalists’ and ‘Revolution round the Corner’: slogans which are now obsolete. Their rallying cry encompassed demands for increased pay, improved housing and better allowances for workers. However, in the late 1930s, the emerging Marxist parties faced opposition from A. E. Goonesinghe’s well-established Trade Union. Pieter Keuneman, the Communist Party leader, later recounted facing attacks from Goonesinghe’s supporters. Goonesinghe’s approach to May Day gatherings differed markedly, characterised by baila singing and women dancing along the demonstration routes.

In Sri Lanka, the appropriation of this commemoration by certain groups, like the Blues and Greens, has tarnished its significance. Instead of honouring the sacrifices of those who fought for workers’ rights, these groups have distorted the meaning of the occasion through musical revelries, acts of vandalism and disruption. It’s unfortunate that such events detract from the solemnity and historical significance of the sacrifices made by labour activists. They serve as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and the importance of preserving the integrity of commemorations like International Workers’ Day.

The writer can be reached at: [email protected]