May Day 2006: World-wide Surge in Marches & Protests
Submitted on Tue, 05/30/2006 - 1:08pm
By Harvey Goldberg - Epicenter News Service; Reposted from East Bay News Service.
Events marking May Day, International Workers Day (May 1st), hit a new high in 2006, with major events occurring on every continent and millions of workers mobilized. Workers and their representatives took the day to stand up for their rights and interests, commemorate their achievements, and to wage new struggles.
May Day events made headlines around the world, particularly in South America and, surprisingly, in the United States, where May Day was born,but had largely been forgotten.
Long gone are the Cold War days when May Day was most noted for the military displays by the Soviet Union and China, and when Communist regimes and movements seemingly held the franchise on May Day.
Contemporary May Day events are about rank and file mobilizations which revolve around key working class struggles particular to each country, though a strong sense of international solidarity also pervades them. Most are organized by labor unions, mass movements, and a variety of left-wing political parties. Communists continue to be involved, but no longer play a leading role in most countries. Only Cuba, with its prestige gained in standing up to the U.S., continues to be held in high esteem at many May Day events.
Latin America, and South America in particular, were where the most dramatic May Day news unfolded in 2006. In Bolivia, newly elected President Evo Morales used May Day to spring a surprise announcement of the effective nationalization of the country' s oil industry.
A huge multitude gathered at Murillo Square in La Paz, Bolivia, exploded into cheers as the measure was announced by Vice President Avaro Garcia, according to a report by Granma International. Garcia described the move as, "the first nationalization of the 21st century," and that it was "done without asking any body's permission, without negotiating with anyone, and as part of an absolutely sovereign decision."
Bolivian troops took positions to control oil fields operated by foreign corporations on the orders of President Morales. The corporations, which include oil companies from Brazil, Spain, and the U.S., were given the choice of entering into new operating agreements which make the government of Bolivia majority partner, or having the oil fields confiscated. If any news can still send shivers down the spines of those in charge of multi-national corporate capitalism, surely this it.
Meanwhile, in Venezuela, a country under fire from the U.S. for it's defiant anti-imperialist stance, there was a huge May Day march in support of President Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution he leads.
There were two May Day mobilizations in Caracas, Venezuela. The rally organized by the anti-Chavez union federation, CTV, drew a few thousand, while the revolutionary union federation, UNT, mobilized over a million workers, according to Green Left Weekly. The theme for the UNT May Day was, "No to imperialism, no to corruption, no to bureaucracy; for socialism of the 21st century!" President Chavez used the occasion to announce an increase in the minimum wage.
In Cuba, more than a million workers crowded into Plaza of the Revolution in Havana, according to the Edmonton Sun. President Fidel Castro charged that the recent U.S. military maneuvers were aimed at intimidating Cuba and its ally Venezuela.
1.2 million workers took to the streets of Sao Palo, Brazil on May Day, where they were addressed by President Lula da Silva, reported People's Weekly World.
A generally peaceful May Day march in Santiago, Chile was marred by violence as police clashed with demonstrators in front of the Presidential Palace, according to Agence France Presse. Youths overturned barriers and police fired tear gas and water cannon and arrested at least thirty.
In Ecuador, workers protested the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) and demanded an end to the country's contract with the Oxy U.S. oil company, reported Prensa Latina. In Quito, unions, movements and progressive parties marched to the U.S. Embassy to hand deliver a letter supporting Ecuadorian immigrants living in the U.S. and opposing anti-immigrant laws.
Thousands of Salvadorans poured into the streets of San Salvador on May Day to fight for better working conditions, against the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), and in opposition to water privatization, according to a report on IndyBay.org. The unions led, followed by members of the FMLN (leftist political party and ex-guerrillas), women's, religious, campesino and other groups. Militant students led a feeder march. Many wore masks and carried sticks. Solidarity was declared with Salvadoran immigrants living in the U.S. was declared (one quarter of Salvadorans live in the U.S. and the Salvadoran economy is completely dependent on the money these workers send home), concluded the IndyBay.org report.
May Day was dubbed, "A Day Without Gringos" in Mexico according to a Canada.com report. People boycotted U.S.-owned super markets and fast-food restaurants in support of the marches demanding immigrant rights which took place in the U.S. Thousands of unionists took to the streets, many carrying banners that read, "Total support for Migrants!"
A coalition of unions and anti-capitalist groups gathered at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. The march was led by Zapatista leader Subcommandante Marcos who told those assembled, "We will create a totally anti-capitalist May Day, reported Worker's World.
In Guatemala, May Day marchers chanted, "The gringos criticize us, but without immigrants they'd be nothing!", according to Canada.com.
May Day mobilizations in the United States made headlines for the first time in living memory in 2006, as millions of immigrant workers and their supporters took to the streets. Major Immigrant Rights groups and Latino organizations called a nation-wide one day strike and huge marches were staged across the country. Marches in many cities set records as the largest political protest ever held there.
There were literally hundreds of marches across the U.S. Some of the largest, as reported by Democracy Now!, were 700,000 marchers in Chicago, over half a million in Los Angeles, over 100,000 in New York, 75,000 in Denver, and 50,000 in a series of protests in Florida.
Over 100,000 marched in San Francisco, while across the bay, organizers claimed 50,000 marched in Oakland, the largest political protest in that city's history.
The rapidly growing Immigrant Rights movement arose in response to legislation pending in the U.S. Congress which would make undocumented immigrants, and people who aid them, guilty of a felony crime. To be caught would mean either deportation or imprisonment, and also prevent U.S. citizenship. The legislation would also fund the construction of an additional 700-mile wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Marchers demanded the defeat of this new anti-immigrant legislation, demanded legality, and called for a general amnesty which would allow the undocumented a path to becoming U.S. citizens.
While the May Day mobilizations in the U.S. lacked much of the leftist flavor apparent in the rest of the world, as well as the backing of most major labor unions (U.S. unions have long disdained May Day as "communist"), there was nevertheless a sense of working class solidarity among the marchers. While the demands focused on immigrant rights, there were strong undercurrents of anti-corporate, anti-war, and internationalist sentiments.
It is an historic irony, and a legacy of the Cold War, that May Day hasn't been commemorated in the U.S. by mass marches in many decades. The origins of May Day lay rooted in U.S. history, in workers' struggle to win the eight hour work day. May Day commemorates the Haymarket Martyrs, who were executed following a police rampage at a worker's rally at Haymarket Square in Chicago in 1886.
Across the Atlantic from the U.S., more that a million people were mobilized in May Day protests throughout Europe, reported The Statesman.
At least 500,000 rallied in Germany in opposition to Chancellor Angela Merkel's plans to dismantle the health system and public services, according to Worker's World.
In France organizers said 65,000 people marched in 100 cities around the country, according to Canada.com.
There were more than 50 May Day events across Spain. Organizers claimed 60,000 took to the streets in Madrid, reported ThinkSpain.com.
The All-workers Militant Front organized demonstrations in 60 communities in Greece, reports People's Weekly World. In Athens, tens of thousands marched from Pedion of Areos Square to a rally at the U.S. Embassy to protest the government's plans to slash social welfare programs.
In Zurich, Switzerland, police clashed with hundreds of left-wing militants following a march of some 4,000 who called for increased wages, according to SwissInfo.
Russia saw an upsurge in May Day activity in 2006. 1.5 million people participated in rallies across Russia, reported The Mercury. In Moscow, a May Day rally in front of the Mayor's office drew 25,000.
May Day events also took place across Asia. About 100,000 workers in Jakarta, Indonesia protested a labor law that would cut severance packages and reduce worker security, according to Canada.com. Meanwhile, thousands of garment factory workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh took to the streets to demand safer conditions and that the U.S. and Europe drop tariffs on their products.
The Statesman reported that there was a large protest in Istanbul, Turkey against the International Monetary Fund and the U.S. Video footage broadcast by CNN-Turk showed police fighting with protesters and one protester seeking refuge in a bus as a police officer beat him.
Thousands of protesters marched in Manila, Philippines, and 12 other cities to protest anti-union labor laws, according to Rueters. Anti-riot police broke up a peaceful but unauthorized May Day march in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Hundreds of thousands of union workers rallied in Japan to call for more jobs in the face of severe unemployment, and in opposition to war. May Day rallies were organized in over 400 locations by three national labor federations, according to People's Weekly World.
May Day was a day of celebration in Nepal, reported Worker's World, as workers celebrated success in the struggle against the King to restore democracy, marked by the reconvening of Parliament.
Many countries celebrate May Day as a national holiday, the biggest of which is China. Despite cutting the May Day holiday down from one week to one day, in an effort to combat the spread of the SARS virus, holiday travel remained high, reported China Daily.
Opposition to U.S.-backed free trade agreements, demands for higher wages, and job security, were the focuses of May Day marches in Seoul, South Korea, reported Worker's World.
Major May Day activities also occurred in Africa. In Kenya, President Mwai Kibaki ordered increases in the minimum wage, according to a Yahoo News report. Meanwhile, in Angola, thousands of workers demonstrated for minimum wage negotiations with the government.
The May Day theme in Ghana was "Organized Labour in an Era of Increasing Global Challenge," reports GhanaWeb.com. Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, Secretary General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress reminded the union's political allies that they had committed themselves to establishing a Living Wage, during his May Day speech.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) organized May Day rallies in South Africa. The themes were combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic and opposition to a proposed World Trade Organization agreement, reported The Mail and Guardian. COSATU also announced plans for rolling strike actions in support of its Jobs and Poverty Campaign.
Despite heavy rains, thousands of workers marched in Maputo, Mozambique, for fair wages compatible with the cost of living, according to the Worker's World.
May Day events even happened in war-torn regions. 1,000 workers marched in Basra, Iraq, according to Worker's World. Hundreds marched on May Day in Baghdad under giant banners calling for security, democracy and peace, reported People's Weekly World.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, thousands of Arab and Jewish marchers joined together in May Day demonstrations in Israel, according to People's Weekly World. In Nazareth, thousands participated, while in Tel Aviv, left movements brought Palestinian and Jewish demonstrators together for a march through the city.