May 1 is May Day: Celebrate by Fighting for Unions & Better Wages! |
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Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama seeking to form a union, 2021 |
RWDSU, Our Revolution, Greenpeace, & more rally to tell Congress to pass the PRO Act, 2021 |
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Fast-food workers and their supporters rally outside New York City Hall, 2017 |
Justice Rally after Derek Chauvin trial, 2021 |
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International Workers’ Day, also known as Labor Day in most countries and often referred to as May Day, is a celebration of working people that is promoted by the international labor movement and occurs every year on May Day (1 May).
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“Wall Street didn’t build this country. The middle class built this country. And unions build the middle class.”
– President Joe Biden
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Presidential Update:
President Biden signed an Executive Order today creating a White House Task Force on Worker Organizing & Empowerment to mobilize the federal government’s policies, programs, and practices to empower workers to organize.
As the President has said: America was built by the middle class, and unions built the middle class. Throughout our country’s history, unions have been the driving forces for advancements in workers’ rights and improved living standards for union and non-union workers. They have fought for higher wages, greater job security, safety and health laws, essential benefits like health insurance and retirement plans, and protections from discrimination and sexual harassment for millions of workers across the country. Sixteen million workers in the United States are union members or in a job that provides them union representation.
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Federal labor law reform, including measures like the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, is necessary to unlock union growth because the current system is so rigged in favor of bosses.
The legislation would eliminate states’ ability to impose “right to work for less” laws, address misclassification of workers as independent contractors or supervisors, limit employer intimidation of workers through “captive audience meetings” and more.
The labor law reform strategy ties the future of workers to political and legislative engagement.
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The labor movement is engaging in a national week of action to pass the PRO Act, April 26-May 1, encompassing Workers Memorial Day and May Day. Please register your actions here.
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Tell Congress: Pass the new $15/hr minimum wage bill!
Members of Congress must pass the bill introduced by Senators Bernie Sanders and Patty Murray that proposes to increase the national minimum wage to $15/hour. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour – nowhere near enough for workers and our families to make enough to LIVE. It’s time for $15/hour!
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Since the Industrial Revolution, impoverished working-class people have struggled for fair wages, hours, and treatment—with immigrants and Black people often facing the worst conditions. We celebrate Labor Day weekend this year amidst a deadly global pandemic; a growing unapologetic movement against policing and incarceration; and a new frontier in the struggle for workers’ rights, as teachers and postal workers organize against the ongoing efforts to dismantle these vital public services. Now more than ever, it is time to reflect on what can be achieved when workers realize their collective power and unite, and how we can get there again today.
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Here is a list of the 50 best films about the civil rights movement, including some that describe people and events prior to the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v Board of Education ruling and the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, which are often viewed as the key events that catalyzed the modern movement. |
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The verdict in George Floyd’s murder reflects the growing power of a movement for Black Lives, for justice and the power of people organizing.
It reflects how when we organize and elect officials like Keith Ellison, MN Attorney General who was able to organize the prosecution, we magnify our power.
If we organize, we can change the world–but we need to organize. The struggle continues.
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National Virtual Rally and Text Bank:
Speakers include Rep. Katie Porter, WFP’s Maurice Mitchell, and “Big Mike” Foster, lead organizer for RWDSU on the Amazon campaign in Bessemer.
Following the speaking program attendees will be asked to send texts to voters in AZ, ME, VA, and WV. Our goal is to send 1 million texts that day.
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On International Workers Day and Immigrant Rights Day, we recognize and celebrate workers and their right to organize for change. In the last decade, May Day has also become a day to commemorate the resilience and contributions of immigrant workers around the country, to demand a just, functional, and humane immigration system.
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Featured Workers Champion! |
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Marty Walsh was confirmed as the Labor secretary by the Senate in a 68-29 vote on Monday, becoming the first union leader to run the department in over four decades.
Walsh will become the head of the Labor Department at a critical time, as the pandemic has left millions unemployed and raised concerns about workplace safety.
The former union leader will also serve in a Biden administration that has pledged to protect the power of unions and is looking to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“Right now, this work is critical to the future of our economy, our communities, and our families,” Walsh told senators at his confirmation hearing last month. “I believe we must act with urgency to meet this moment to strengthen and empower our workforce as we rebuild.”
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When we organize, we can change the world. |
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We are so glad to be your partner in this movement for democracy and justice for all.
– Heather Booth, Lilly Rivlin, and the Film Team
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