The first day was never just a celebration, rally or march. There was also a day for workers to show their strength. And it can be again.
President of United Auto Workers Sean Finin during the event “Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From” on Saturday, March 8, 2025, Lincoln High School in Warren, Michigan.
(Jose Hwarez / AP)
One hundred and thirty -five years ago today, the US Labor Federation made a bold proclamation. May 1, 1890 – Day – workers across the country will impress new radical demand. This demand will affect workers in society and around the world, as well as transforms everyday life to millions. This radical demand? An eight -hour work day.
Now, the Synonym that works hard, the “9 to 5” schedule was such an explosive concept that caused riots, mass demonstrations and even the performance of trade union organizers.
So, how did the eight -hour day go from the impossible idea to just common sense? The answer is in May.
After The right of hay 1886 Trade union activists saw that the right to an eight -hour day would take place in the workers. No union, workplace or city were able to defeat it on their own.
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And workers around the world listened to the call. Each year, thousands, and then millions of workers celebrated May 1 as an International Day of Workers. Many countries eventually created it as a national holiday. The Catholic Church accepted it in the 1950s, and St. Joseph as a patron.
But Maei Day was never just a celebration, rally or march. It was also a day for strikes – for economic action in the workplace and beyond that would support corporate America under control and support the muscles of the workers.
Almost 150 years later, the American working class studies the lesson of my day again. And UAW is fighting for its revival.
In 2023, tens of thousands of car parks on the Great Trinity began a strike. They assumed Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, as never before, hit all three companies at once, across the country and made bold, loud requirements not only for the authors, but for the whole work class.
The Great Recession and the Automobile Crisis forced the auto -nourishers to make great sacrifices to save the industry. Our salary was cut. The plants were closed. Life adjustments have disappeared. And everyone who hired after 2007 did not have pensioners.
We’re back back More than 2023 What we had in any contract in our lives. But the big three will not shift from the place in one of the biggest problems faced by car parks in this country: retirement safety.
The carmakers said that their masters on Wall -Story would not allow it. Despite the fact that a quarter of a trillion revenue has received a quarter of the last decade, Wall Street did not want long-term responsibility for the book. In the end, every penny penny is a penny that cannot be spent on ransom, dividends or compensation for the executive power.
So, we knew that if we wanted to return the pension for car parliament, it would take a bigger fight.
We set the following contract in a large three for May 1, 2028. International Day of Workers. And we called on unions across the country Do the same and get ready for a bigger strike than anyone has seen.
Like those who came to us, we knew we needed one big term for corporate America to act. It was not enough to close the big three. We needed to use our strength as a combined working class – not one union, not one industry – if we wanted to win our requirements.
After all, it is not just about pension and retirement care for three large self -porters. We are in the retirement crisis in this country, and more than 4 million Americans go to retirement age every year, while most virtually no retirement savings. In 1980, 60 percent of the private sector workers had a certain form of pension. Today, this number is about 4 percent.
This year, May 1, over 2000 UAW members who make submarines for the overall dynamics in Connecticut, prepare for their The first potential blow For 40 years. One of their basic requirements? Pensions for all.
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Because we know that if we want to move to Wall -Rate when we want to move corporate America, and if we want to move the work class to action, we need to unite into a common cause. For our common problems. At the total time.
And just like an eight-hour day, on May, we strive to use the strength of our work to make our radical demand-a credcent standard for the work class-supine meaning.
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