Cover Carrying their belongings, circus performers of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus are boarding a bus that will take them to their winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida, after the big top folded up in Pittsburgh. The "Greatest Show on Earth" ended its 1956 run 4 months early, having fallen victim to the inroads of television, combined with labor troubles and mounting costs. In future, the circus will play only in air conditioned arenas. The day of the canvas city has gone with the wind.
Carrying their belongings, circus performers of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus are boarding a bus that will take them to their winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida, after the big top folded up in Pittsburgh. The "Greatest Show on Earth" ended its 1956 run 4 months early, having fallen victim to the inroads of television, combined with labor troubles and mounting costs. In future, the circus will play only in air conditioned arenas. The day of the canvas city has gone with the wind.
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國際勞動節又稱五一國際勞動節、勞動節、國際示威遊行日等，這是一個全世界多達80多個國家會一同響應的節日。究竟勞動節為什麼放假？由來是什麼、勞工又是怎麼定義的呢？此篇一次告訴你。
最早的勞工運動始於工業革命後的歐洲，因為從農業社會轉型為工業社會，但工業化帶來的生產力，卻未縮短勞工的工時，勞工每天仍需要工作長達12至14小時，連周六也無法休息，1866年國際工人聯合會（International Workingmens’s Association）在日內瓦會議提出了八小時工作的口號。
Above NYC Downtown Manhattan May 1970: World Trade Center construction workers and war veterans alike protest Mayor Lindsey's decision to lower the American Flags in memory of the victims of the Kent State Massacre.
NYC Downtown Manhattan May 1970: World Trade Center construction workers and war veterans alike protest Mayor Lindsey's decision to lower the American Flags in memory of the victims of the Kent State Massacre.
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1. 勞工節歷史由來
直至1886年5月1日，以美國芝加哥為中心，在美國舉行了約35萬人參加的大規模罷工和示威遊行，示威者要求改善勞動條件，實行八小時工作制，示威首日約2,500名勞工參會，情緒雖然激昂，過程卻非常和平。
但在隔了2日，一場突如其來的大雨將群眾淋得只剩200多人左右，正當勞工正要開始收場時，5月3日芝加哥政府忽然開來一隊180名全副武裝的警察，將現場包圍起來，命令他們馬上解散，就在雙方在爭論的時候，一名身份不明的人向警察投擲了一枚炸彈，場面頓時大亂，在黑暗中，警察向群眾開火、人們四處逃竄。
前後共有7名警察和至少4名平民當場死亡，同時造成在場60名警察和115名平民受傷，這就是歷史上聞名的「乾草市場事件」，數百名勞工領袖和同情者後來被圍捕，隨後在一次被視為司法不公的審判後其中4人被絞死。
2. 1889年訂定國際勞動節
「乾草市場事件」也引發了後續效應，1889年7月14日，世界工人運動組織「社會主義國際」（又稱「第二國際」）在巴黎舉行成立大會，並通過了《五一節案》，把每年的五月一日定為國際勞工節，以紀念當年的芝加哥大罷工，而後許多國家亦陸續將這一天定為國際勞動節，還會舉行慶祝活動，盼能藉此喚起大眾對勞權的重視。
Above Carrying their belongings, circus performers of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus are boarding a bus that will take them to their winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida, after the big top folded up in Pittsburgh. The "Greatest Show on Earth" ended its 1956 run 4 months early, having fallen victim to the inroads of television, combined with labor troubles and mounting costs. In future, the circus will play only in air conditioned arenas. The day of the canvas city has gone with the wind.
Carrying their belongings, circus performers of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus are boarding a bus that will take them to their winter quarters in Sarasota, Florida, after the big top folded up in Pittsburgh. The "Greatest Show on Earth" ended its 1956 run 4 months early, having fallen victim to the inroads of television, combined with labor troubles and mounting costs. In future, the circus will play only in air conditioned arenas. The day of the canvas city has gone with the wind.
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3. 週休二日也是勞工運動成功的表徵
此外，現今習以為常的週休二日、最低工資、有給薪休假及工時縮短等權利，都是當時勞工運動者的訴求。
4. 勞工的定義
那究竟勞工指的是哪些族群呢？根據勞基法所定義的勞工中，並未涵蓋軍人、醫護人員、小學以上教職員（幼稚園、托兒所、托嬰中心教職員屬於勞工）、政府公務員、雇員和公營機構職員等，其餘皆是。
Above GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: England fans celebrate the first goal of the Women's World Cup Quarter Final between England and Norway, during day two of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 27, 2019 in Glastonbury, England. The festival, founded by farmer Michael Eavis in 1970, is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. Tickets for the festival sold out in just 36 minutes as it returns following a fallow year. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND - JUNE 27: England fans celebrate the first goal of the Women's World Cup Quarter Final between England and Norway, during day two of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 27, 2019 in Glastonbury, England. The festival, founded by farmer Michael Eavis in 1970, is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. Tickets for the festival sold out in just 36 minutes as it returns following a fallow year. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
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5. 勞動節是台灣國定假日
同時依勞基法第37條規定，勞動節是國定假日，原則上勞工可放假一天，且雇主應依法給薪，若勞動節落在週則須予以補休，像是2022年5月1日正逢週日，所以5月2日（隔週一）雇主需讓員工補休。
