International Workers Day, also known as Labor Day in some places, is a celebration of laborers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labor movement and occurs every year on May Day, 1 May, an ancient European spring holiday. In Albania, Labor Day is also an official holiday. The date was chosen for International Workers' Day by the Second International, a pan-national organization of socialist and communist political parties, to commemorate the Haymarket affair, which occurred in Chicago on 4 May 1886.

The Albanian Ombudsman, Igli Totozani, in this important day for worker’s rights, expressed his personal support and institutional commitment for the protection of all those people who with dedication and devotion offer the best of them working for their families and social progression. The Ombudsman said that it must be guaranteed the right to work for everyone as one of the most important rights to live with dignity.

The Ombudsman encouraged institutions to develop new policies that bring more jobs, so that all Albanians might have the opportunity to exercise their right to work and to provide input and development for the Albanian society, which aspires to the integration in the European family.

On the other hand, dozens of citizens protested in Tirana. They marched along the main boulevard with placards in their hands demanding more rights for workers. Also, Communist Party supporters marched with photographs of former dictator Enver Hoxha along “Deshmoret e Kombit” Boulevard. The Prison Workers Union requested more rights for the employees working in the Albanian prisons, which for years have been discriminated. According to the Union, the prison police have very low wages.

Moreover, Independent Unions representatives in Shkodra chose to protest in front of the Municipality building against unemployment. Also, Faculty of Geology and Mining students traveled to Ballsh on Sunday and protested supporting ARMO workers, who have 8 months without receiving salaries. Ballsh Oilmen said that they have not taken their salaries since June 2015 and the economic situation of their families is aggravated. This is not the only protest by ARMO employees. They have protested repeatedly about the same problem.