May Day Organizers Demand No School, No Work, No Shopping
- Patrick O'Neill
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
This is a guest post by Seattle Democratic Socialist organizer Patrick O'Neill
In the early 1800’s, during the height of the industrial revolution, a slogan was popularized that went something like; “eight hours for work, eight hours for play, eight hours for rest.” In an era when workers often spent 12-16 hours a day toiling under the weight of capitalist exploitation, the idea of capping a days’ work at 8 hours was so revolutionary at the time that it would take generations of workers organizing around it to finally defeat their era’s oligarchs who had hoped to continue their mechanized and industrialized oppression of the working class.
In 1938 under the New Deal’s Fair Labor Standard Act, American workers finally got the eight hour workday written into law, and it was because of those decades of labor, immigrant, and socialist activists all over the world coming together across sectors, getting organized, going on strikes, pressuring corporations, and using their labor power to fight for their rights.
On May 1st, 2026 members of Seattle’s labor and immigrant rights community will come together at Cal Anderson park on Capitol Hill to celebrate International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. As workers continue to see their rights trampled on by the Trump administration, and the tech oligarchs are being given carte blanche to unleash unhinged A.I. into our economy, it is imperative that workers come together to show our strength in solidarity, and to continue organizing against the billionaires that would prefer to see our power as workers stripped down to nothing.
Katie Garrow, Executive Secretary Treasurer for MLK Labor, one of the event's cosponsors adds, “Workers of all trades, industries and professions will be out in the streets this May Day in Seattle. MLK Labor is proud to cosponsor this powerful demonstration of unity amongst all people who work for a living from all backgrounds, ethnicities and races. Immigrant workers are under attack by our President but here in Seattle, we think the diversity of America’s workforce is what makes it uniquely talented and innovative. All people who work deserve dignity, respect and a fair return on their labor.”
When we the people come together we can win back power, and we saw this in the past year as workers came together to fight back against ICE in Minneapolis, and after a citywide general strike and continued pressure through various labor sectors; Trump fired Greg Bovino, Kristi Noem, and began pulling forces out of Minneapolis. Here in Washington, with the support of labor and community organizers, Seattle Democratic Socialists of America member and Washington State Legislator Shaun Scott was able to write and pass an amendment to the state’s new “Millionaire’s Income Tax” which keeps in place a corporate tax that saved Washingtonian’s $500 million in revenue for social services. Washington State also passed new worker protections for domestic workers and immigrant workers. These are real, tangible victories that are making the lives of ordinary people in Washington better, and if we continue to build our muscles as labor organizers and allies, we can win more rights in the future.
Looking at the news these days can feel overwhelming, and the outlook for workers in a world full of A.I. and oligarchy is undoubtedly unstable, but we the people do have power. During the past several weeks, I have had the pleasure of participating in the organizing of the Seattle May Day Rally and March, and I have seen so much joy in organizing around our shared struggles, food service worker and Migrante Sa U member SK spoke to this power in solidarity, “One person complaining gets ignored. One person fighting gets targeted. But when workers organize — speak up together, file together, show up together — we have power. Organizing means the next person doesn’t have to do it alone. Contracts don’t enforce themselves. Policies don’t follow themselves. Management doesn’t change because one person asks. Organized workers make them listen.”
May Day organizers across the country are asking you to pledge that on May 1st there will be no school, no work and no shopping and we hope you will join us at Cal Anderson Park at 12PM for a rally and march to demand that our government tax the rich so that our society is shaped by and for workers not billionaires.