The History of May Day: International Workers' Day!

In this episode, we celebrate International Workers' Day by looking back at how it started: in Chicago, in 1886, where tens of thousands of workers were going on strike and taking to the streets.

One of their main demands was for an eight-hour workday, which was also taken up by workers internationally — and it sent capitalists into a panic in May 1886, when it seemed like that struggle might turn into a full-on rebellion.

We’ll talk about how this movement grew, and how it was crushed by capitalists and the government, who wanted to ensure their exploitive system would continue unabated. Still, the eight-hour workday demand was taken up internationally, and the workers from this moment in history will never be forgotten. 

Today, the same exploitation that sparked the events of May 1886 is still as ruthless as ever. Many of us still work 10 or 12 hours a day, if not more. We've seen the U.S. go through wars, waves of class struggle, and mass movements against racism and police brutality, but capitalist exploitation and oppression continue.

And therefore, so does the fight for socialism. 

From Haymarket to Amazon warehouses. From Chicago to Gaza. From gig workers to teachers on strike—May Day reminds us that we have the power to win everything we're fighting for.

Read or watch more:

https://www.leftvoice.org/may-1-a-day-for-the-workers-of-the-world/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WViBBoDEAC0&t=76s&ab_channel=LeftVoice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=samhLAyTp0s&t=3s&ab_channel=LeftVoice

Hosts: Killian and Melanie
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin Brown

Stay connected, and solidarity forever.

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