EDITORS NOTE: Reporting contributed by Zaire Breedlove, Sam Pipes, and Gabe Powell.
On May 1st, hundreds of people from across Georgia gathered on Capitol Avenue in downtown Atlanta to protest for workers’ and human rights during the annual Mayday march.
Mayday, also called International Workers’ Day, is a worldwide event focused on workers’ rights and social justice. It began after the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, where a labor protest turned violent when someone threw dynamite at police. The explosion led to the deaths of several officers and civilians.
This year’s Atlanta Mayday protest was led by several unions and community groups. These included, and not limited to, the Union of Southern Service Workers, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Georgia Equality, and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Together, they marched under the message “Stopping the Billionaire Agenda,” calling out powerful business interests and unfair laws hurting working people.
The protest started on Capitol Avenue and stretched into the city, ending at Atlanta City Hall. Along the way, speakers shared their thoughts on what they see as growing threats to workers in Georgia and across the U.S.
Micah McCluern, a union organizer who spoke at the event, said people must speak up now more than ever.
“We’ve never had any state, any time in our history where we didn’t have obstacles around our freedoms, but now those obstacles are so inherently dangerous,” he said. “…The things that we are risking, are more poignant and more essential now.”
John Taylor from the Black Male Initiative also spoke. He reminded the crowd that labor includes everyone, especially undocumented workers who are often most at risk under President Trump’s policies.
“We love our unions, but we also know that’s built for us, ain’t built with us,” he said. “But labor is every hand, it’s every foot, it’s every mouth, it’s every heart, it’s every human. There is no such thing as illegal labor!”
Many protesters believe President Trump’s economic plans favor the rich and ignore the needs of working-class families. Some union members said this is why more workers are joining protests and organizing in their workplaces.
Flinn, a worker in one of the leading labor unions, said he wants more working people in government.
“We need a worker’s republic, nothing short can do anything for the working people. Working people have gotta be in the seat, in the office,” he said. “I’m tired of seeing business people and lawyers run our government.”
Some protestors wore costumes and masks to make their message stand out. One dressed as the Joker to express his anger at leaders in Washington, D.C.
“The clowns (in D.C.) are no longer funny, and it’s time for America to wake up,” said the Joker. “They’re getting rid of everything, they’re taking away food from children that are starving in Africa, why? Why? These are billionaires! Why don’t they pitch into the system instead of complaining about it?”
