Randol Fawkes Labour Day

Observed annually on the first Friday in June, Randol Fawkes Labour Day is a public holiday that is named in honor of Sir Randol Fawkes. Fawkes was a civil rights activist, a free-trade advocate, a unionist, and an author who was extremely important to establishing the trade union movement in the Bahamas.

He was also the one who established this holiday in 1961, although at the time of its creation the holiday didn’t bear his name. It wouldn’t be named after him until 2013 when it was decided that the holiday should be renamed to bear his name.

The History Of Randol Fawkes Labour Day In The Bahamas

In the Bahamas, Fawkes is known as the Father of Labour, and that’s because of all of the work he did for the labour movement in the country. In 1961, he was also successful in making Labour Day a public holiday. He did this because he thought that the holiday would be a great memorial for all of the work done by the working class of the Bahamas. When Fawkes died in 2000, a movement began to rename this name in his honor. This eventually would happen in 2013 when Randol Fawkes Labour Day was created.

Facts About The Bahamas Economy

We thought that it might be worthwhile to go over current labour statistics in the Bahamas. After all, this article does deal with  Randol Fawkes Labour Day. So, let’s just jump right in.

  • Labor force: Approximately 184,000+ workers.
  • Employment in Manufacturing: 3.4%
  • Employment in Hotels & Restaurants: 15.4%
  • Employment in Wholesale & Retail: 14.1%

Observing Randol Fawkes Labour Day In The Bahamas

On this day, labour unions from a variety of different labour organizations hold a large parade through downtown Nassau. There are also political speeches given by both politicians and labour leaders. People also use the day off to enjoy time with friends and family members. It’s a good day to enjoy some baked crab or rock lobsters, or something as simple as pigeon peas and rice.

Where is it celebrated?
The Bahamas (Public holiday)
When is it?
This year (2024)
June 7 Friday
Next year (2025)
June 6 Friday
Last year (2023)
June 2 Friday