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Supplement
No. 16May 4, 2019
May Day Around
the
World
Militant Actions
Defend Rights and
Uphold the Dignity of Labour
Havana, Cuba, May 1, 2019.
Around the world, workers and oppressed peoples used the
occasion of May First, the international day of working class
unity and struggle, to take bold stands to defend their
rights and the rights of all, and to uphold the dignity of
labour.
This organized resistance is more necessary than ever,
as the living and working conditions of the peoples of the world
deteriorate under a broad neo-liberal assault in those countries where
liberal democracy has failed and the so-called democratic institutions
that it is claimed will empower the people, clearly do not work.
Meanwhile, in those countries whose proud independence and defence of
sovereignty and the rule of international law have made them targets of
interference from the U.S. imperialists and other aggressors, the
people are resisting these assaults with great resourcefulness and
steadfastness, with the support of the peoples of the world. The
working people of the world are united in the common desire for the
recognition of their rights, to be able to exercise control over their
own affairs and to have peaceful relations with one another so that the
human person can flourish.
In this way, the actions of May Day 2019 expressed the
striving of working people for renewal, for human-centered
social, political and economic arrangements at home, and for
international relations that uphold the peace and sovereignty of
all countries, and the rule of international law.
Canada and Quebec
Montreal, May 1, 2019.
Working people across Canada and Quebec proudly
organized
their May Day events in this spirit of defending their interests
and providing a venue to raise their concerns and express
support for all the struggles being waged by the peoples at home
and abroad.
Across Canada and Quebec, workers are facing a serious
problem of governments that serve the interests of the rich and cannot
be held to account by the people. This has been made clear by the
protracted lockout of the Hamilton steelworkers by German monopoly
MANA; the lockout of workers in Becancour by ABI, with the collusion of
the Quebec government and its public utility Hydro-Québec; the
deregulation of safety standards and self-monitoring that the federal
government has permitted in the rail industry, with fatal results; the
wrecking of the economy in the name of making "private business
decisions" that the auto monopolies are permitted to carry out; the
federal government's continued abuse of postal workers by legislating
them back to work once more, with none of their serious concerns
addressed; the abuse of federal public sector workers through the
Phoenix Pay System, brought in as a so-called cost-saving measure that
the government will pay IBM billions of dollars to fix, while the
workers continue to suffer from financial instability. To boot, newly
elected governments of Alberta, Ontario and Quebec have come into
office openly promoting an agenda of serving private interests,
declaring their provinces to be "open for business" and are proceeding
to intensify the anti-social offensive.
As the cartel parties begin their electioneering in the
lead-up to the federal election, it is crucial that working people
reflect on their own experiences and in the spirit of May Day, develop
their independent thinking and voice so as not to get caught up in the
false choices and contrived issues presented by these parties that do
not serve their interests.
Halifax
This year's rally was held at the Maritime
Centre, where the Department of Labour and Advanced Education is
located. Speakers highlighted the situation of underpaid and vulnerable
workers, including migrant workers. They called for proper compensation
for workers who work more than an eight-hour day or a 40-hour week, and
the abolition of so-called training and probation minimum wages and the
unpaid training shifts that occur in restaurants. They also called for
employers to be penalized for wage theft and for workers to receive a
minimum of two weeks’ notice prior to dismissal, regardless of how long
they have been employed. A letter outlining these demands was
hand-delivered to Minister of Labour and Advanced Education Labi
Kousoulis.
Montreal
The May Day Coalition, which brings together unions and
community groups, held a march in the streets of Montreal on May First,
under the theme "For the Quebec we want" in which hundreds of people
participated. There were workers from different sectors, many of them
construction workers, who a few days earlier, on the Day of Mourning
for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job, denounced the attacks on
their health and safety, as construction remains the deadliest sector
of the economy in Quebec. According to official counts, 226 workers
lost their lives at work from work-related causes, well below the
actual number of deaths. Public sector workers were also at the march,
along with members of several community groups and a good participation
by students.
Defence of the right of workers to negotiate their
working conditions instead of these being dictated by monopolies and
governments, a massive increase of investments in public health and
education sectors and opposition to the privatization of these sectors,
the immediate increase of the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, measures to
protect the environment were among the demands expressed by the
participants.
 
  
Ottawa-Gatineau
May Day was celebrated in the Ottawa-Gatineau region
with a lively political and social evening of discussion at the
Brasserie Bas Canada in Gatineau, Quebec. Hosted by the Jos.
Montferrand Collective, other participants were members of ALBA Social
Movement Canada-Ottawa Chapter as well as activists and friends of the
Ottawa-Gatineau Branch of the Communist Party of Canada
(Marxist-Leninist).
A representative of the Jos. Montferrand Collective
welcomed everyone and extended special greetings to a representative of
the Republic of Cuba, the Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission of the
Cuban Embassy in Canada Giuvel Orozco. He highlighted the militant May
Day march of the Cuban people in Havana under the banner "Unity,
Commitment and Victory" -- a fitting response of the Cuban people to
new threats by the U.S. to intensify the illegal blockade of the
Republic of Cuba.
He also warmly welcomed the Chargé d'Affaires of
the Embassy
of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Canada, Luis Acuña
and
hailed the heroic resistance of the Venezuelan people who the day
before prevailed against another U.S.-backed coup attempt.
The Jos. Montferrand Collective representative
emphasized that in the case of both countries, Canada is playing a
treacherous role on behalf of U.S. imperialism and also denounced the
activities of Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland in the service of U.S.
interests. He concluded by encouraging everyone to discuss the advances
being made by the working class and the battles being waged by workers
in Quebec, Canada and internationally.
Toronto
Hundreds of people converged at City Hall and marched to
Regent Park in downtown Toronto to mark May Day. Young workers and
activists marched despite the pouring rain to oppose the Ford
Conservative governments’ cuts to health care and education programs,
libraries and other services that Ontarians need. Migrant worker
organizations demanded that all workers be treated with dignity and
respect and that those coming to Canada as temporary foreign workers be
given status on arrival.
Mississauga
The
Toronto
Airport
Workers’
Council
organized
a spirited street festival
and rally at Pearson International Airport to celebrate May Day. The
airport workers have just finished a joint TAWC and International
Transport Workers' Federation airport organizing conference where
workers from four continents shared their successes in fighting for
their rights and discussed how to tackle the problems they face, such
as the contracting out of jobs. A number of delegates stayed to join in
the May Day celebrations, including a large contingent organizing at
Incheon International Airport in Korea. They, along with airport
workers from Indonesia, Thailand and the UK brought their greetings to
the rally. The TAWC announced that a global day of action for airport
workers’ rights will be held September 1 and invited everyone to
participate.
 
 
Brampton
The Alliance of Progressive Canadians.CA held an early
morning march in downtown Brampton, an event they initiated last year,
determined that Brampton workers should have the dignity of their own
independent stand on May Day. At city hall, speakers denounced the Ford
Government’s brutal anti-social cuts to social programs and attacks on
workers’ rights and pledged to step up the fight against the
anti-social offensive in Ontario and Canada.
 
Hamilton
Hundreds of workers and youth filled Gore Park to
celebrate May Day in Hamilton, Ontario. They marched to the Federal
Building where President of USW Local 1005 Gary Howe and Hamilton and
District Labour Council President Anthony Marco spoke of the growing
unity of the workers in defence of their rights and the rights of all
against the attacks of the ruling elite. Rolf Gerstenberger, former
president of USW Local 1005, spoke of the fraud of the governments in
Canada that claim to uphold the rule of law, while they are in the
forefront of attempts to overthrow the legitimate government of
Venezuela and are passing legislation at home to allow companies that
engage in illegal activities, such as SNC Lavelin, off the hook. He
said the workers produce all the goods and provide all the services in
Canada but have no decision-making power. This is the central problem
the workers themselves have to solve -- how to become the
decision-makers. Bill Mahoney, resident USW Local 1005 poet, ended the
rally with a poem on the wrecking of society by the rich and powerful,
which ends: "Who will build a world that's just and free, if it ain't
those like you and me?" The rally then took to the streets to carry on
their march.
  
 
Windsor
A May Day Rally and Speak Out organized by the Greater
Essex
Elementary Teachers' Federation was joined by representatives of
all other education unions and of students. Emcee Laura Chesnik
said, "Those who provide public services produce immense value
which must be recognized so it can be reinvested into the social
programs Ontarians require." A representative of District 9 of
the Secondary School Teachers' Federation opposed attempts of the
Ford government to divide members from their unions, "We
are the union and the union is us!" A representative of high
school students affirmed they will continue actions to defend
their education. A cultural evening followed the rally.
Also on May Day, a press conference was hosted by the
Windsor
& District Labour Council for striking public health nurses,
represented by Ontario Nurses' Association Local 8. The nurses
spoke about important health services the community has been
denied because their employer refuses to negotiate or seek a
mediated or arbitrated settlement to the almost eight-week
strike.
Sarnia
A large rally of
education workers was held outside of Sarnia PC MPP Bob Bailey's
constituency office. Those working in different educational
sectors joined together to say No! to the direction the
Ford government is taking education and affirmed that those who
work in the education system have a right to participate in
deciding its direction and the direction of the economy as a
whole.
Thunder Bay
In Thunder Bay, a rally of 400 people opposed
the Ford government's attacks on public education and those who provide
it. Participants included many workers in the education sector.
Edmonton
May Day began with a short rally at the Legislature with
music and speakers. A very lively and militant march followed through
downtown Edmonton with the workers and youth chanting non-stop and
expressing their conviction that they are up to the challenge facing
them.
A dinner followed, where discussion carried on for
several hours with workers and youth all speaking, especially about the
election results, which are on everyone's minds. A major point of
discussion was how to strengthen the workers' opposition -- the need
for our own thinking, relying on our own organizations, our unity and
setting our own program.
 
Calgary
May Day celebrations in Calgary started with the
traditional picket at City Hall under the theme "Step up the Fight for
the Rights of All." Workers and youth were joined by delegates from the
Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) Convention, which began May 2.
Everyone then marched to the Memorial Park Library for a
book
launch of A Graphic History of the Winnipeg General
Strike, sponsored by the Calgary Public Library and the
Alberta Labour History Institute. Discussion organized by the May
Day Committee followed, led by activists from different sectors
who spoke about the challenges they are facing, with many people
joining in to give their views and speak about how to strengthen
the workers' opposition in the face of the election results and
the election of Jason Kenney and the United Conservative Party.
At an awards ceremony at the AFL Convention, Peggy
Morton, long-time political activist with CPC(M-L), was honoured by the
labour movement for her contributions and presented with the AFL's May
Day Award.
 
  
Vancouver
Prince George
Working people in Prince George held their 10th Annual
May Day
celebration and banquet at the Bentley Centre at the University
of Northern BC. Over 100 workers, retirees and youth participated
in a lively evening of presentations, songs and good food. Remarks
by speakers highlighted the essential role of the workers as the
producers of all the wealth in the society, and the need for
working people to unite around a political program they
themselves set.
Presentations were made by representatives of four local
unions who have been involved in particularly sharp strike and
organizing struggles over the last year, including Unite Here 40 (Coast
Inn of the North, Ramada Hotel, and UNBC food services); United
Steelworkers, Local 2017; Canadian Union of Postal Workers; and CUPE
2278 (representing newly-certified teaching assistants at UNBC).
This was followed by reports from the other sponsoring
unions
regarding the issues and challenges facing them.
 
May Day Around the
World
Asia
Istanbul, Turkey
Baghdad, Iraq
Shatrah, Iraq
Jenin, Palestine
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Pakistan
Lahore, Pakistan
Hyderabad, Pakistan
New Delhi, India
Kandla, India
Jakarta, Indonesia
Manila, Philippines
 
Seoul, Korea
Tokyo, Japan
Oceania
Sydney, Australia
Auckland, New Zealand
Africa
Morocco
Casablanca, Morroco
Niger
Nigeria
Guinea Bissau
Guinea
Nairobi, Kenya
Uganda
Accra, Ghana
Lusaka, Zambia
Angola
Latin America and the Caribbean
Havana, Cuba
 
 
Matanzas; Guantánamo, Cuba
 
San Juan, Puerto Rico
 
 
San Salvador, El Salvador
Honduras
Panama City, Panama
Caracas, Venezuela
 
Bogotá, Colombia
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Ceará, Brazil
Montevideo, Uruguay
Peru
Bolivia
 
Quito, Ecuador
United States
Venezuelan Embassy, Washington, DC
 
Boston, MA
New York City, NY
Long Island, NY
Jersey City, NJ
Perth Amboy, NJ
Detroit, MI
Grand Rapids, MI
Madison, WI
Raleigh, North Carolina
Columbia, SC
Los Angeles, CA
 
San Francisco, CA
Oakland, CA
Sacramento, CA
Europe
Oslo, Norway
Geneva, Switzerland
Brussels, Belguim
London, England
Paris, France
Santander, Spain
Lisbon, Portugal
Aveiro, Portugal
Bologna, Italy
Athens, Greece
Moscow, Russia
Caucasus, Russia
(To access articles individually
click on
the black headline.)
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