May Day, Glasgow Buchanan Street, 2013.
Today, May 1st., May Day, has been celebrated across the planet, and rightly so. It is probably the most important day in the calendar of the ordinary people. In some cities it was a massive display of workers solidarity, in others it was a more quiet affair, but there would be few cities that didn't have some sort of show. Though it should be held on May 1st. and is in lots of cities and towns, in others, Glasgow for example, it will be on the first weekend after May 1st.. That said, Glasgow had a small but colourful stall in Buchanan Street, put on by the Clydeside IWW and the Glasgow Anarchist Federation. The stalls attracted considerable interest from passers-by, and a lot of literature was handed out. There was of course, lots of old faces reappeared, just to be there and show solidarity, even if it was just for a few minutes and a few words with old comrades.
May Day, Glasgow Buchanan Street, 2013.
As I write these words, it's still morning in London -- and already
LabourStart's
front page is full of coverage of May Day 2013, the
international workers' holiday.
In
Istanbul, police have used tear gas to try to
block trade unionists from gathering in the city's central Taksim
square, scene of an infamous massacre in 1977.
In
Greece, a general strike by workers protesting
against the highest unemployment levels in Europe has shut down much
of the country's transport system.
Your local newspaper or television
station may be reporting all these stories -- but I doubt it. That's
why we created LabourStart 15 years ago -- precisely for moments
like this when we need to know what is happening in the labour
movement all over the world.
Please make sure to
visit
LabourStart today and spread the word to your friends,
family, co-workers and fellow union members.
Thank you -- and happy May Day!
Eric Lee
ann arky's home.