Time was when Workers’ Week, which we are now observing, would galvanise a feeling of national pride in the majority of Jamaicans, culminating with a renewed commitment to community service on Labour Day, which this year+ is May 23.

That the week, and particularly Labour Day — when Jamaicans engage in voluntary labour — have lost their appeal, especially among the young, is disheartening. It presents a challenge to the nation how to correct such indifference which, we believe, is driven by a number of factors, not least a lack of knowledge of our history.

Labour Day evolved from what was then Empire Day, celebrated on May 24 each year to mark Queen Victoria’s birthday. Historians tell us that in 1902 the day evolved from a celebration of Queen Victoria’s birth to a more formalised annual event with its focus shifting in the latter half of the 20th Century to the modern Commonwealth of Nations.

However, in 1961 the Jamaican Parliament decided to abolish Empire Day, and declared that the anniversary of the working class movement be celebrated instead on May 23. Labour Day took on added dimension in 1972 with the introduction of volunteerism linked to community development projects as an essential ingredient.

Crucially, commitment to honouring the struggles, resilience, dedication, and contribution of workers in the building of modern Jamaica remained central to the celebration of Workers’ Week and Labour Day.

This year’s Workers’ Week is under the theme ‘Transforming Jamaica’s Workforce for Greater Resilience and Sustainable Development’ which, according to the Government, highlights the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s ongoing focus on equipping the Jamaican labour force to thrive in an evolving global environment, driven by innovation, sustainability and inclusivity.

That focus, combined with the strategic development plan being formatted under Vision 2030, is more than vital now as globalisation has forced significant changes to the Jamaican economy.

The point is made very well in the Government’s Labour Market and Productivity Sector Plan that, “If Jamaica is to successfully compete in the global economy, it is essential that labour market and employment challenges be adequately addressed.”

Against that background, we welcome the Government’s stated effort to stage events during this Workers’ Week to recognise the significant role workers play in the thrust to drive the nation’s social and economic momentum.

One such event was scheduled for last night — a Labour Relations Awards Banquet at which more than 40 companies, each operating for 100 years or more, were to be recognised for their contributions to national development and for fostering industrial harmony over the decades.

That the event was also being used to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act made it even more meaningful because that law, as the ministry reminded, “formalised the framework for handling industrial disputes, introduced the role of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal, and established guidelines for collective bargaining and employer-employee relations”.

Industrial relations harmony is a key ingredient to increasing productivity, which in turn redounds to the benefit of the economy and Jamaicans in general.

And while we set our sights on achieving that goal in full, we encourage Jamaicans to rekindle that sense of volunteerism on Labour Day. We will all feel better for it and the people and entities that benefit from that effort will be most grateful.