As Labour Day rolls around in New Zealand, it’s worth remembering its origins—not as a mere day off, but as a reminder of the power of workers united against exploitation and in the pursuit of a fairer society. Originally intended to honour the struggle for an eight-hour workday, Labour Day highlights a history rich in solidarity, direct action, andresistance. But how much of this spirit survives in today’s Labour Day celebrations? And how can anarchists and anti-capitalists reclaim this day as a moment for radical reflection and resistance?

Labour Day in New Zealand traces its roots to the 1840s when carpenter Samuel Parnell refused to work longer than eight hours a day, sparking one of the earliest movements toward the eight-hour workday. By the late 19th century, the eight-hour workday had spread, and in 1890, the country celebrated its first official Labour Day to honour the spirit of working-class unity.

Initially, Labour Day commemorated the victories of union organising and workers’ resistance, a day when workers, often with the support of unions, took to the streets. Parades, speeches, and rallies centred on labour rights, fair wages, and safer working conditions. But as the years have passed, Labour Day’s meaning has been diluted, commercialised, and rendered little more than a long weekend in October—a far cry from its radical beginnings.

Labour Day’s meaning has eroded as workers’ rights have declined through neoliberal policies, anti-union legislation, and corporate interests. In today’s New Zealand, a vast wealth gap exists between the rich and the working class, union membership has declined and workers are facing, precarious employment, and skyrocketing costs of living with wages not keeping up. As Labour Day becomes more about sales and barbecues than solidarity and resistance, it’s crucial to consider how we can reclaim this day for the working class. 

Just as Parnell and his peers fought for an eight-hour day over 150 years ago, today’s workers face their own battles. Those in hospitality, service industries, retail, and logistics are expected to work long hours for low pay, often under the surveillance and demands of app-based gig work.

For anarchists, Labour Day is a stark reminder that capitalism fundamentally relies on the exploitation of workers to survive. Anarchists don’t see the erosion of labour rights as a malfunction within capitalism but rather as its inevitable function. The struggle of labour isn’t to simply improve the terms of exploitation but to end it. Rather than negotiating better terms for workers under capitalism, anarchists envision a world where work is a matter of cooperation, mutual aid, and voluntary association—not necessity or coercion.

Labour Day should not be limited to negotiating for minor reforms, better conditions, or fairer wages but should be seen as a time to dream bigger. Imagine a world where all could share in society’s wealth without compulsion, where workers run the workplaces and communities they are part of, without bosses or owners. This vision challenges the very structure of capitalism and the state.

Reclaiming Labour Day: What Can We Do?

1. Take Direct Action: Use Labour Day as an opportunity to organise actions that directly support workers in New Zealand. This could mean mutual aid networks, workplace organising, or supporting existing strikes and protests. By actively resisting and disrupting exploitative systems, we recenter Labour Day as a day of action.

2. Educate and Raise Awareness: Use this day to educate the community about the true history of Labour Day and discuss the limitations of capitalist “reforms.” Hosting public talks, distributing zines, and creating online content can encourage others to think critically about labour and capitalism.

3. Challenge Consumerism: Resist the commodification of Labour Day as a shopping holiday. Organise or join buy-nothing days, skill-sharing events, or local “really, really free markets.” These events provide
tangible examples of a world where resources are shared freely, not bought and sold.

Labour Day should be more than a holiday or an eight-hour workday anniversary; it should be a call to dismantle the structures that keep us bound to a life of exploitation. By reimagining Labour Day as a day for anti-capitalist resistance, we can remind each other that workers have the power to resist, rebuild, and reclaim a new future. If we step up and act collectively, Labour Day can once again be a rallying point for those who believe in a world where work serves people, not profit.

This Labour Day, let’s reject complacency, reject the empty symbols of reformist politics, and instead remember that radical change begins with our willingness to resist and reimagine.

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