Labor Day in Jamaica Date in the current year: May 23, 2016. May 1 is reserved by many countries as Labor Day, but Jamaica annually celebrates this holiday on May 23. The date was chosen to commemorate the labor rebellion, that arouse in 1938. Observation of Labor Day appeared in 1961, when Empire Day, celebrated on May 24, was abolished. Chief Minister of Jamaica Norman Washington Manley proposed to replace Empire Day with Labor Day with the commemorative celebrations held on May 23.