Under a New York City Council resolution passed last week, the Department of Education would mark May as Labor History Month in public schools across New York City. The month of May includes International Workers Day, known as May Day, celebrated every May 1, that honors the commemorates the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago.
The resolution was sponsored by Council Member Alexa Aviles who called it “crucial” to pass so that young workers can have knowledge of past labor struggles when they enter the workforce.
“We owe so much to the labor leaders of history who have stood up to demand protections we take for granted now—2-day weekends, child labor laws, and workplace safety protections, to name a few. Students deserve to be educated on the history of organized workers in our country,” she said in a statement. “With declining union density across the country, it’s important to champion awareness for workers' collective power.”
The resolution’s passage does not automatically create the commemorative month. In order for Labor History Month to become official, the DOE would have to establish the designation itself. New Yorkers can fill out a form to express support for the DOE doing so online.
A spokesperson for the DOE did not provide a comment on the resolution.
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