Turkey’s president marks Labor Day

By Ferdi Turkten

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday issued a message for Labor Day marked on May 1 every year.

He pledged to continue efforts to improve welfare and employment opportunities for each and every Turkish citizen.

Erdogan said the country aims to protect the rights and interests of the workers in all of its economic development policies.

"We have made great efforts for workers to minimize the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected all globally and caused new regulations in work-life," Erdogan said.

May Day or International Workers' Day first emerged as an event commemorating the labor of workers worldwide on May 1, 1886, when a group of workers in the US held a massive strike for an eight-hour workday.

Turkey’s first official May Day celebrations were held in 1923.