May Day 2019 - 100 Years of Struggle for Workers' Rights

The annual Connecticut People's World rally for International Worker's Day will highlight union organizing today and in history.

Themed "May Day 2019: 100 Years of Struggle for Workers Rights," the rally will be held on Sunday, May 5, 2019 at 3 pm at the New Haven Peoples Center, 37 Howe Street.

The event, held during the 100th anniversary year of the Communist Party USA, will include a brief history of labor organizing by the Communist Party since its founding in 1919 and continuing today.

The experience of organizing food service workers who won a union last year at United Airlines will be shared by Jaime Myers-McPhail who lived in Colorado for several months working on the campaign, and his colleague Charlie Delgado who participated for a shorter time. Myers-McPhail is an organizer in New Haven with New Haven Rising and Unite Here. 

The rally will stand in solidarity with Stop & Shop workers forced on strike for wages, benefits, healthcare and fairness. 

"May Day Around the World" slide show will show workers' protests and actions from every continent including many demands for equality for immigrant workers.

The afternoon will be capped off with labor songs led by some of those who participated in the newly formed labor chorus at the Women's March in Hartford this year.

On May 1, 1886 thousands of workers marched in Chicago to demand relief from brutal 12- and 14-hour workdays. A few days later, a suspicious bomb killed several Chicago police and protesters in Haymarket Square. Four of the march leaders were framed up and executed. In their memory, May Day was set as a day of international workers’ struggle and solidarity.

In the United States, May Day took on new life when immigrant workers from Latin America held mega marches for their rights in 2006. May Day 2019 is part of the resistance against the anti-people Trump/Republican white supremacy agenda, and the rising movements to put peace, planet and people before profits.

Donation is $5 or what you can afford. A fund appeal for the People's World will be made.

For information e-mail ct-pww@pobox.com or call 203-624-4254.