Today, workers all over Sri Lanka and around the world will come together to champion their rights and raise their voice for better working conditions. This is the essence of May Day or Labour Day, as it is called in some countries. How did May Day begin ? Following the Industrial Revolution which began in mid 18th Century England, many employers were ruthless as they made their employees work for 14-18 hours daily.
To stop this enslavement of workers, an agitation began globally to reduce work hours. The workers argued that in every 24 hours, they can give a third to their employers, one third for sleep or rest, and the balance eight hours for family, food and transportation to work. They wanted a 40 hour week, with two days off.
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