PULSE NEWS MEXICO

Monday, May 1, is International Labor Day, and as in many countries around the world, in Mexico it is treated as a national holiday.

All schools, banks and government offices will be closed on Monday, as will many private corporations and stores.

Mexico first began observing Labor Day in May 1, 1923, and this day is generally marked by a massive march by unionized workers through Mexico City’s downtown Zócalo.

The holiday has its roots in the United States, although now it is observed in that country in September each year.

The international observance of Labor Day, also sometimes referred to as May Day, emerged in 1886 as an alternative holiday for the celebration of labor, later becoming known as International Workers’ Day.

The date had its origins at the 1885 convention of the American Federation of Labor, which passed a resolution calling for adoption of the eight-hour workday effective May 1, 1886.