Labour Day is a public holiday in New Zealand that is celebrated on the fourth Monday in October. It commemorates the struggle for an eight-hour working day, which was first won by carpenter Samuel Parnell in 1840. New Zealand workers were among the first in the world to claim this right. The first Labour Day was celebrated in New Zealand on October 28, 1890, when several thousand trade union members and supporters attended parades in the main centres. Government employees were given the day off to attend the parades, and many businesses closed for at least part of the day. Early Labour Day parades drew huge crowds in places such as Palmerston North and Napier as well as in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Unionists and supporters marched behind colourful banners and ornate floats, and the parades were followed by popular picnics and sports events. Nowadays, Labour Day is a statutory public holiday and a time for relaxation and reflection on the efforts made by trade unions to achieve work-life balance.