President Maithripala Sirisena said the people should commit themselves to strengthen mutual reconciliation. Issuing a May Day message, the President said no sector could prosper without the help of the working people. The message: It is the day on which the legendary voice of a group of gallant workers sacrificed their lives while demanding to limit the daily working period to eight hours.
Today symbolises the fair expectations of the working class strengthened due to that historical occurrence. Hence, I express my gratitude to the working class of the world, who did not stop their struggle, which commenced 133 years ago and turned their fight for the rights of the worker an unceasing a struggle.
The international awareness among the working class regarding the need to raise voice to win their rights was first felt in Sri Lanka by the offset letter compositors of the printing industry. Then, workers of fields such as railway, bullock cart services, trams and ports also started to raise their collective voices for their rights. As a result of the slogans raised at May Day demonstrations, the working class won the right for pension, provident fund and several other rights for the workers.