Labour Day: May the 1st
28 May, 2015 | Adriana Murillo
Enterprise & Industry and Social issues
ILLUSTRATION: FREEPIK.COM
In Bolivia, the origins of unionism lie in the revolution of 1952, a moment in time that was a determining factor consolidating the start of the representation of the working class and the social struggles of the people. Thanks to the fights of May 1, 1886, Bolivians managed to win basic rights such as a maximum eight-hour workday, 15 days of vacation per year, and a monthly minimum wage (which had variations depending on the political and economic model). The first trade union organizations, particularly mining workers dating back decades from 1910 to 1920, began to raise demands against the business owners Patiño, Hoschild and Aramayo.
The socio-historical meaning tells us that May is a time of reflection, representing the demands of workers but also raising awareness of work as a source of life and advancement for society.
