Northern Territory unions have played an important role in building on the bonds of trade unionism which have spread worldwide with the demand for May Day to be recognised as a celebration of workers’ rights. The Union movement acknowledges that historically workers’ struggles had been bitter and had cost many lives in the pursuit of improved wages, conditions and living standards.
Whilst every Australian state and territory celebrates Labour Day it is only in the Northern Territory and Queensland that 1 May is celebrated as a public holiday. In the Northern Territory, we actually titled ‘May Day’, despite the fact that the holiday is observed annually on the first Monday in May.
In Darwin, workers and their families participate in the May Day march picnic/concert on ‘The Esplanade’ at Bicentennial ark. In Alice Springs unionists living and working in Gove also celebrate May Day with a picnic. In 2018 May Day will be celebrated on the 7th May.