When Is Labor Day This Year?
By Georg Rehberger. Published 28-Aug-2023
Only two major countries celebrate Labor Day in September—but why? And when is Labor Day this year?
People enjoy a long Labor Day weekend, here in Capitola, California (USA).
©iStockphoto.com/benedek
When Is Labor Day 2023?
Monday, September 4, 2023.
The Labor Day date is always the first Monday in September. US President Grover Cleveland made the day an official US federal holiday in 1894.
Why Is Labor Day in September?
In most countries around the world, Labor Day is celebrated on May 1. The USA and Canada are the only two major countries that moved the holiday to the end of summer.
There are two main reasons why the US holiday is in September: One is the large gap between summer and autumn holidays (Independence Day and Thanksgiving).
Which countries celebrate Labor Day?
The other reason is the historical background of Labor Day: In May 1886, a bomb exploded in Chicago, turning a labor rally into a bloodbath that claimed the lives of several police officers and civilians. This became known as the Haymarket Affair, named after the place where the rally was held.
In the aftermath of the Haymarket Affair, May 1 became associated with labor protests and, in some cases, violence. In an effort to distance themselves from the Haymarket incident and to provide a more peaceful and unified observance of labor and workers’ rights, the US labor movement and government officials decided to establish Labor Day on a different date.
On June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed the Labor Day bill into law, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day. This choice of date was seen as a way to avoid the associations with the Haymarket Affair and to emphasize the positive aspects of the labor movement.