A public holiday that falls on the first Monday of September, observed in Canada and the United States (Americans spell "labour" as "labor"). In Canada, this is a "statutory holiday", meaning that no one can technically be forced to work it, but those who are willing to must be compensated with government-specified higher pay.
Labour Day, at least in its modern, early 21st century form, does not have any specific, traditional rites or celebrations. It is meant to be a day spent relaxing or recreating, as it celebrates the year's hard labour by workers. Much more common, in other countries, is to have the celebration of May Day (1st day in May), although this is often associated with marches in support of organised labour (unions), and (unfortunately), in recent years, potentially violent demonstrations and actions against wealthy, multi-national corporations.
It is safe to say that May Day is not celebrated in the US because of its ties to and sympathies toward socialism and communism. It can equally be presumed that Canada has aligned its workers' holiday with the US for reasons of politics and economics, as well as commercial convenience.
Labour Day, at least in its modern, early 21st century form, does not have any specific, traditional rites or celebrations. It is meant to be a day spent relaxing or recreating, as it celebrates the year's hard labour by workers. Much more common, in other countries, is to have the celebration of May Day (1st day in May), although this is often associated with marches in support of organised labour (unions), and (unfortunately), in recent years, potentially violent demonstrations and actions against wealthy, multi-national corporations.
It is safe to say that May Day is not celebrated in the US because of its ties to and sympathies toward socialism and communism. It can equally be presumed that Canada has aligned its workers' holiday with the US for reasons of politics and economics, as well as commercial convenience.
"Labour Day is an official day of rest for workers. While May Day is meant to do the same, many workers take to the street instead, marching in support of workers' rights."
by outaouais September 5, 2011
Hard Labour
if you get paid £30 and hour to work 2 hours a day at a bean bag factory, and all you do is bounce around on bean bags
if you get paid £30 and hour to work 2 hours a day at a bean bag factory, and all you do is bounce around on bean bags
by jyon November 18, 2010
Nickname for the political party New Labour amongst some left-wingers, with the blue referring to what they percieve to be the Tory Thatcherite policies that they have adopted/stolen from the right, whilst totally abandoning any pretence of being a workers party.
by Billy-Bob McSanchez April 9, 2005
Asinine slang term for the British "New Labour" movement of the 1990s to late 2000s under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Generally employed by would-be political commentators on internet forums who aren't as witty as they think they are.
See also: Bliar
Generally employed by would-be political commentators on internet forums who aren't as witty as they think they are.
See also: Bliar
by Saiyra June 15, 2011
by Mikey1-82 May 4, 2009
Employee: You wanted to see me Mrs. Applesauce?
Employer: Henry, do know what a labour day special is?
Employee: No ma'am
Employer: You're about to find out. Lock the door.
Employer: Henry, do know what a labour day special is?
Employee: No ma'am
Employer: You're about to find out. Lock the door.
by Dr. Whelan September 21, 2010
The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is an anachronistic organisation that purports to have a monopoly on social conscience and represent the working classes of Australia.
It is controlled by a caustic mixture of unionist bully boys who make "On the Waterfront" look like "Saturday Night Fever" and casuistic right-wing intellectuals posing as messianic left-wing intellectuals. Both groups share a common vision, namely the manipulation to their own (perhaps pecuniary and/or machavellian)ends of two corresponding strata of the Australian electorate.
One stratum is the worker and disadvantaged who perceives itself to be "abused" by the "boss". It is likely this perception is a hangover from the Australian penal/colonial mind set of "us and them" and may go some way toward explaining the Australian sense of inadequacy on the international political and cultural scene. (cf. sport and Australian supremacy -also consider Mark Twain's report that Sydneysiders were oddly proud of their harbour "ain't she beautiful"? as if they somehow had something to do with the matter, whereas it may be that they felt they had nothing to say about themselves!)
The other stratum are the advantaged who feel guilty for not being born disadvantaged. In a collective attempt to apologise for their sheer good fortune these sons and daughters of the advantaged suspend their intellectual capacity and turn to the ALP to salve their conscience.
The ALP, of course, cannot assuage their angst because it has no more a monopoly on social conscience than any other political organisation. These people quickly forget that it was the ALP who designed the White Australia Policy, reintroduced fees for teriary education during the Dawkins administration, sold out the worker via Keating's "level playing field" giving the Australian worker a whopping 19% rate on their mortgages, and rushed off headlong into the Gulf War when Hawke sent warships without discussing it with parliament.
Labor voters often cannot spell correctly.
It is controlled by a caustic mixture of unionist bully boys who make "On the Waterfront" look like "Saturday Night Fever" and casuistic right-wing intellectuals posing as messianic left-wing intellectuals. Both groups share a common vision, namely the manipulation to their own (perhaps pecuniary and/or machavellian)ends of two corresponding strata of the Australian electorate.
One stratum is the worker and disadvantaged who perceives itself to be "abused" by the "boss". It is likely this perception is a hangover from the Australian penal/colonial mind set of "us and them" and may go some way toward explaining the Australian sense of inadequacy on the international political and cultural scene. (cf. sport and Australian supremacy -also consider Mark Twain's report that Sydneysiders were oddly proud of their harbour "ain't she beautiful"? as if they somehow had something to do with the matter, whereas it may be that they felt they had nothing to say about themselves!)
The other stratum are the advantaged who feel guilty for not being born disadvantaged. In a collective attempt to apologise for their sheer good fortune these sons and daughters of the advantaged suspend their intellectual capacity and turn to the ALP to salve their conscience.
The ALP, of course, cannot assuage their angst because it has no more a monopoly on social conscience than any other political organisation. These people quickly forget that it was the ALP who designed the White Australia Policy, reintroduced fees for teriary education during the Dawkins administration, sold out the worker via Keating's "level playing field" giving the Australian worker a whopping 19% rate on their mortgages, and rushed off headlong into the Gulf War when Hawke sent warships without discussing it with parliament.
Labor voters often cannot spell correctly.
by gromdadi August 27, 2005