Protocol salutation
May day is a day celebrated by workers across the globe as International Labour Day, and it is observed in many countries on the 1st day of May every day. It is commonly called Workers’ Day or International Workers’ Day. It is the day that commemorates the struggles and gains made by workers and the Labour movement.
On the 4th May 1886, a rally at Haymarket Square was organized by labour radicals to protest the killing and wounding of several workers by the Chicago police during a strike the day before at the McCormick Reaper Works.
Anarchist leader August Spies, a German immigrant, was among the many people who were angered by the police’s reaction to the McCormick strike.
He had given a speech to strikers who were demanding a shorter workday of eight hours a short distance from the factory and had witnessed police open fire on workers.
Around 8:30 p.m. on May 4, the streets near Haymarket Square swelled with some 2,000 workers and activists.
August Spies opened the rally by climbing atop a hay wagon and giving a speech on the ‘’good, honest, law-abiding, churchgoing citizens’’ who had been attacked at McCormick factory. He was followed by Albert Parsons, a former Confederate soldier turned radical anarchist. Chicago Mayor Carter Harrison was even in attendance to ensure the protest was peaceful.
Toward the end of Haymarket Square rally, a group of policemen arrived to disperse the crowd. As the police advanced, an individual who was never identified threw a bomb at them.
The police and possibly some members of the crowd opened fire and chaos ensued. Seven police officers and at least one civilian died as a result of the violence that day, and untold number of other people were injured.
In August 1886, eight men labeled as anarchists were convicted in a sensational and controversial trial in which the jury was considered to be biased and no solid evidence was presented linking the defendants to the bombing.
Judge Joseph E. Gary imposed the death sentence on seven of the men, and the eighth was sentenced to 15 years in prison. On November 11, 1887, four of the men were hanged. Of the additional three who were sentenced to death, one committed suicide on the eve of his execution and the other two had their sentences commuted to life in prison by Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby.
Here in Botswana, Mayday was first celebrated by our Union in a place known as African Mall in Gaborone in 1995. We were demanding ratification of ILO core Conventions on labour rights. Today as we celebrate this important day, we are gathered to reflect on our successes and failures as Trade Unions representing workers.Master of Ceremony, we are delighted to be celebrating this day with yourselves in Bokspits, our beloved Comrades. Our Union leadership is determined to work with you more than ever before, to develop workers of Bokspits through Seminars, training, and many other forms of exposure on Trade Unionism.
We will before leaving Bokspits ensure that a Sub-Regional Committee is established that will be given responsibility for communicating with our offices in Gaborone regarding your development plans.
As we celebrate May Day today, Comrade Simon Kgaoganang will address you on the purpose of a Trade Union and the benefit of becoming a Union member while Comrade Mmoloki Mathiba will address you on group funeral scheme, followed by Mme Neo Ngwako our sister from Botswana Life who will also touch on our agreement with them, and their products meant to benefit our members.
Before I conclude my address, I want to extend on behalf of my colleagues, my sincere gratitude to all men and women who made this day a success and encourage them to do the same for the benefit of Union members in Bokspits in the days to come. With those remarks I conclude my speech by wishing you a pleasant and joyous May Day. Enjoy and feel free to enteract. Pula bagaetsho!!!