Lesson: May Day

A. Picture Discussion (Picture not provided)

1. What do you see in the picture?
2. Can you relate any historical event to this picture? What happened on this day?

B. Reading

May Day

May Day or International Workers’ Day is observed on May 1st all over the world today to commemorate the historical struggle and sacrifices of working people to establish an eight-hour workday. It is a public holiday in almost all the countries of the world.

Since the Industrial Revolution*[1] in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe and the US, the workers in mills and factories had been working long shifts—fourteen or even more hours a day.

On May 1st in 1886, inspired by the trade unions*[2], half of the workers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company in Chicago went on strike, demanding an eight-hour workday. Two days later, a workers’ rally was held near the McCormick Harvester Machine Company, and about 6,000 workers joined it. The rally was addressed by labor leaders. They urged the workers to stand together, to go on with their struggle, and not to give in to their bosses.

At one point in the rally, some strikebreakers started leaving the meeting place. The strikers went down the street to bring them back. Suddenly, about 200 policemen attacked them with clubs and revolvers. One striker was killed instantly, five or six others were seriously wounded, and many others were injured.

The events of May 1, 1886, are a reminder that workers will continue to be exploited until they stand up and speak out to gain better working conditions, better pay, and better lives.

Notes:

1. Industrial Revolution: the period, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe, when machines were invented and the first factories were established.
2. Trade Union: an organization that represents workers of mills and factories.

Questions

1. What does May Day refer to?
2. How long did the workers have to work in a day before the May 1st strike?
3. Why did the workers in Chicago go on strike?
4. What do you learn from the events of May 1, 1886?

C. Grammar Practice

Fill in the blanks with the verbs given in the box. Put them into their correct forms.

Verbs: add, arrive, begin, do, hear, live, send, support, tread, work

Tania is a poor garment worker. She ______ in a big garment factory in Gazipur. She ______ in a slum with a few fellow workers. She works eight hours a day on a monthly salary of Tk. 3000/-. She does overtime to ______ some more money to her income. If she can save something, she ______ it to her father to ______ the family.

One day Tania was busy ______ her work in the factory. Suddenly she ______ someone shouting “Fire! Fire!” The workers were panic-stricken and everyone ______ to rush to the stairs. There were not enough staircases in the factory building. So some workers were ______ underfoot and others were injured in some other ways. However, the fire brigade ______ there in minutes and nothing serious happened.

D. Comprehension

Now read the completed passage in Section C silently and answer the following questions.

1. Do you think Tania’s monthly salary is enough for her work?
2. Is the factory safe enough for workers? Why do you think so?
3. Do you have any suggestions for the safety of factory workers? If so, what?