May Day Headlines

And now your headlines from the class war.

Capitalism does not go unopposed even in the heart of the Beast; Immigrants across the United States down tools for MayDay

And in Europe workers as of May Day are 'free labour' able to cross borders for jobs. New EU country workers get wider chance to seek jobs

Gee someone should tell all these cops and governments that unions are irrelevant.......

May Day Demonstrators Rally Across Asia
Workers across Asia rallied Monday to press for better conditions, often encountering a heavy police presence and, in some places, outright resistance.


May Day demonstrations quelled by massive police presence in Cambodia capital

- A leading trade union leader was arrested Monday as thousands of police brought the capital to a virtual standstill during a government clampdown on unauthorized May Day demonstrations, an opposition leader said. Chea Mony, leader of the Free Trade Union, was arrested by police and detained for two hours on grounds that he was organizing unauthorized demonstrations, said Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition.

Indonesian police out in force for nationwide May Day rallies

Demonstrations were planned in major cities across Indonesia, with up to 50,000 people expected in the capital alone to protest government plans to revise a labor law -- cutting severance packages and introducing more flexible contracts that would chip away at worker security. "Don't change the law," thousands of laborers chanted at Jakarta's main downtown roundabout, as others arrived in buses and trucks, waiving green, yellow and red flags and banners expressing their demands.

High alert for Philippine May Day

Strikes to follow May Day: Cosatu SABC News

And this is why MayDay is still relevant and important even today.

EUROMAYDAY 006

Europe marks May Day

'Preserve May Day significance'
Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana urges workers and employers to preserve the significance of the world May Day celebrations to be observed on Monday. In a statement ahead of the celebrations, the minister said it was important for everyone to think of those who were still denied basic worker rights. "On Monday South African workers, as part of the global community, will be joining their counterparts around the world in celebrating the achievements and fruits of the struggles that were waged by their forefathers more than 100 years ago."
As we will be celebrating, it is important to note that this year's celebration coincides with the 60th anniversary of the historic mineworkers' strike of 1946. It is the struggles of this nature that led to the current improvements in our working conditions," he said. It was important for people not to treat the May Day holiday as an ordinary public holiday, the minister said. "The freedoms that we enjoy today resulted from attempts by the government and its social partners to ensure the realisation of those struggles and I would therefore like to remind our fellow countrymen and women that as we celebrate, we should pause to spare a thought for those who are yet to enjoy these basic conditions."

And here is why workers still need a union.......

No happy May Day for 350 Govt workers

Bangalore: It's May Day on Monday. But as workers around the world are celebrating their special day, 350 government employees in Bangalore have little to rejoice. They have been working on contract for more than a decade, and now, the Supreme Court has said that they have no right to regularisation. A case in point is B C Karunakar, who has been working as a typist at the Commercial Taxes department for over 20 years. But despite working here for two decades, he isn’t a permanent employee just like his colleague, T Govindaiah who has put in 22 years of work in the organisation.They've worked for 20 years without increments, medical facilities, and privileged leave. And now they will now retire without pension.

And in Montreal workers kicked off May Day early with a protest against the Charest Neo0Liberal agenda. May Day comes early to Montreal

And check out these sites.

LabourStart for up to the minute May Day headlines.

May Day and related topics on the Marxists Internet Archive


May Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


May Day on the Web


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The Daily Bleed May Reference Page:


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