New York City, NY – Thousands of workers and their families and supporters rallied in New York City to celebrate and honor International Workers’ Day on May 1, marching through downtown Manhattan from Washington Square Park to Foley Square. The May Day rally was called by the NYC Central Labor Council, which represents among many unions, the Laborers International Union Local 78, UAW CFU and ALAA, HTC (Hotel, Gaming, and Trades Counsel), IATSE and SEIU/32BJ.
San Jose, CA – On May 1, 1500 people gathered in East San Jose for the annual San Jose May Day march. This year marked 20 years since May Day was revived in the United States with the 2006 immigrant rights megamarches in protest of the racist, anti-immigrant Sensenbrenner bill. This year, the May Day march began at the intersection of Story and King, an historic center of the Chicano community in San Jose and the same starting location as the 2006 march.
Seattle, WA – On May 1, Seattle's May Day march saw thousands of workers, students, immigrants, community organizations and other attendees gather at Cal Anderson Park to celebrate International Workers’ Day.
Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, May 1, a coalition led by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Indigenous Protectors Movement (IPM) and endorsed by more than 60 unions, immigrant rights groups, and other progressive organizations took to the streets in Minneapolis to commemorate their 20th annual march on International Workers’ Day.
Havana, Cuba – May 1, over half a million Cubans and hundreds of international delegates attended the International Workers’ Day celebration in Havana, Cuba. Cuban citizens and international delegates started the day at Revolutionary Square and marched five kilometers (roughly two miles) to the celebration and demanded no war on Cuba and an end to the blockade through chants and songs.
New Orleans, LA – Beginning at 7 a.m. on May 1, around 50 nurses, staffers and community members picketed in front of the University Medical Center (UMC) to mark the start of a five-day strike. Nurses are demanding that LCMC Health System, which runs UMC, agree to the contract that the union has been fighting for over two years. Among their demands are better wages, more staffing, and the rehiring of nurse Mike Robertshaw, who was fired for his involvement with the union.
Washington, DC – Community members flooded the streets on May 1 for a march in honor of May Day. The weather was bright and sunny with a cool breeze, making conditions favorable for an energized crowd. Nearly 10,000 feet hit the ground at the National Mall in front of the Washington Monument and marched up past the White House, through Black Lives Matter Plaza, and ending at Franklin Park.
Billings, MT – On Friday, May 1, the Billings Alliance for Immigrant Rights (BAIR) held a protest at the Yellowstone County Courthouse to celebrate International Workers’ Day. 40 people rallied to demand ICE get out of Billings, stop the deportations, and to fight for workers’ and immigrants’ rights.
Indianapolis, IN – Around 100 workers, union members and community allies gathered Friday evening, May 1, at Monument Circle to mark International Workers’ Day with an energetic May Day rally centered on solidarity and a renewed pro-labor program for Central Indiana.
Dallas, TX – On May 1, 600 workers, students and community members converged at Dallas City Hall demanding an end to billionaire rule and for a society that puts working people first.
New York City, NY – On April 29, UFT teachers from the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) and community members who engages with the NYC public school system flooded the New York City Department of Education’s “Panel for Educational Policy.”
On International Workers’ Day, we uplift the past and present global struggles for a better world. We commit to carrying the torches of liberation forward, because there’s much to fight against, and much to fight for. Monopoly capitalism is built on exploitation, and it hands down needless suffering, environmental ruin and endless wars. The decay is obvious. Prices soar, families are bankrupted by medical costs, millions are saddled with crushing debt and working people who were already on the brink are being pushed into ruin. The system delivers obscene profits to the ones on top who are relentless in pursing profits. We should be even more relentless in building the united forces of workers and oppressed people that can take them down.
Los Angeles, CA — On the morning of April 29, Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) and other organizations announced the 11th Annual May Day rally.
Oakland, CA – On Thursday, April 23, more than 40 people gathered for an art build to prepare for Oakland’s upcoming May 1 rally, march, and resource fair commemorating International Workers’ Day. The event was hosted by Eastside Arts Alliance and organized by Oakland Sin Fronteras, a coalition of over 20 organizations and workers’ unions.
En el Día Internacional de los Trabajadores, honramos las luchas globales pasadas y presentes por un mundo mejor. Nos comprometemos a seguir adelante con las antorchas de la liberación, porque hay mucho contra lo que luchar y mucho por lo que luchar. El capitalismo monopolista está construido sobre la explotación y nos hereda sufrimiento innecesario, destrucción ambiental y guerras interminables. La decadencia es evidente. Los precios suben fuera de control, las familias caen en bancarrota por los gastos médicos, millones enfrentan deudas insoportables y la gente trabajadora que ya estaba al borde del abismo está siendo empujada a la ruina. El sistema les entrega ganancias obscenas a los de arriba, quienes son implacables en su búsqueda de ganancias. Nosotros deberíamos ser aún más implacables para construir las fuerzas unidas de los trabajadores y los pueblos oprimidos que puedan derrocarlos.
NYC, NY – On April 26, a dedicated group of rank-and-file organizers from the MORE Caucus, the opposition caucus within the United Federation of Teachers, held their annual “State of Our Union” event, in the City University of New York Grad Center, where they sum up the year of union organizing and prepare for what’s to come.
Milwaukee, WI – On April 9, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced that it would be “temporarily” suspending matching contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) in an effort to cut costs for the federal institution.
St. Paul, MN – On April 20, the Trump administration’s Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, resigned from her post. On the same day, Trump appointed Keith Sonderling as Acting Secretary of Labor.
Chavez-DeRemer had served as a congresswoman from Oregon previously, and, while she is a Republican, she was supported in her congressional campaigns by some unions, including the Oregon Fire Fighters Council, Ironworkers Local 29, the United Food and Commercial Workers, and the American Federation of Government Employees. When she was tapped by Trump to take over as labor secretary, the move was lauded by International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who had recently spoken at the Republican National Convention.
Arlington, TX – On April 23, around ten rank-and-file Teamsters at the Arlington UPS hub marched on the boss. They presented a petition with 70 signatures gathered from workers across the building, demanding start times be posted earlier and made more consistent.
Washington, D.C. – The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) President Sara Nelson, representing Spirit flight attendants, released the following statement, April 23, on federal relief for Spirit Airlines: