Contributed by Joe Montero

May Day has long been a day when workers across he planet and participate in Marches and other activities to express their unity, common interests, and aspire to a shared future on the first day of the month. The first place where this took part was in Melbourne  Australia. and became a major global event after the Haymarket police killing of unionists in 1886 at Haymarket in the Unite States. In 1889 the International Socialist Conference declared that this day would become a regular feature in commemoration of Haymarket, that it would hold up the banner saying “workers of the world unite,” and resolved that  May 1 would be an international holiday.

In 2023 May Day came at a time characterised by economic headwinds and policy destroying traditional jobs and spreading insecure work, falling living standards, a climate crisis, and failing legitimacy of traditional politics, at a time when the world is just emerging from extended Covid related isolation of individuals.

Concern about what the future may bring is starting to turn from bewilderment to noticeable anger. There is a growing understanding that a few are scooping all the benefits and everyone lese is having to do without.

It was inevitable that May Day was going to be special this year. Most of the attention has been on France, where the movement against Macron’s imposition of  an older age for retirement has sparked a movement that represents most of the French population and will have far reaching consequences. In fact, the change was imposed by decree, instead of through the supposedly democratic process. This has further exposed the political establishment and the partisan nature of the law.

There is also the ongoing issue of police violence that has caused widespread calls or something to be done about it. The police are used to strike out against political opponents of the government. The use of tear gas, water cannon, and other forms of sanctioned violence have become standard practice.

This was the approach taken to attack the May Day marches in Paris and other cities. The apologetic media and has exaggerated the story about Molotov throwing anarchists. What is left out, is that the police violence was directed at everyone in an attempt to stop the May Day marches. The tactic had little success.

There may be an element of this, and there is a history of police provocateurs. It is exaggerated. The simple fact that  there is growing anger against both the ongoing police brutality and the deafness of the government. This creates a powder keg.

Nevertheless, millions participated in France’s May Day in more than 250 cities and towns across the nation.

France Labour Day Mass rally in Paris over Macron’s pension reforms

Video by JustAs it is

Istanbul the capital; of Turkey, police stopped the May Day march from gathering in the city’s main square. The event was banned in Pakistan. There was a big rally in South Korea

There were more than 70 marches across Spain. It was a similar story next door in Portugal and other parts of Europe.  There were May Day marches across Japan, South Korea.  Closer to home the crowds were out in the streets in Indonesia. May Day events took place across Australia and ill continue to do so until 7 May in Melbourne.

Photo by Paul White/AP: Part of the rally in Madrid, Spain

There were more than 70 marches across Spain. It was a similar story next door in Portugal and other parts of Europe.  There were May Day marches across Japan, South Korea.  Closer to home the crowds were out in the streets in Indonesia. May Day events took place across Australia and ill continue to do so until 7 May in Melbourne.

Photo by Ann Wang/Reuters:  In Taipei, Taiwan

Photo by Lee Jin-man/AP: In Seoul, South Korea

Photo by Dita Alangkara/AP: In Jakarta, Indonesia

If there are unifying issues. The rise cost of living, precarious work, the cost of housing, and the loss of democratic rights. These are issues familiar to us here in Australia.