Various authors
May Day greetings from other syndicalist organizations
Comrades! Working people of Ukraine!
We send you Mayday greetings! We together belong to an international movement of grasroot, militant sindicalism and libertarian left. As that movement we have long tradition of international solidarity and mutual aid. It is of great importance to us, to support each other during hard times.
In 1886 workers on strike in one of the factories in Chicago demanded better working conditions and the introduction of an 8- hour working day. Their strike ended with the lockout and dismisalss, the scubs were engaged. But their struggle continued in thousands of protests and demonstarions that were taken up every 1st of May – despite harsh represions the struglles continues!
In Poland in 2013, the government increased the retirement age to 67 years and introduced new labour law that cancel 8th hours working days for many workers. We must work longer for the same wage. Today, as in the late nineteenth century, again we have to fight for the 8-hour working day, as well as for many other issues previously won by the labor movement. But we have to fight for more! – 8th hours of exploitation is already too much! We want diginity and control at the workplaces, we want universal health care, security, pensions, public nurseries and kindergartens, public and free education and culture!
Therefore, we in Poland, you in Ukriane, and workers all over the world once again take back the streets to remind that only when we fight and organize we can win! And we will win only when we unite across the borders!
Inicjatywa Pracownicza
In times of fascist mobilisation and a right wing on the rise it is more important than ever to talk about and make internationalism our ptactice. To understand that to be Swedish is a dangerous thought, to be an Ukrainian is and dangerous thought. There is no good nationalism.
For us red and black unions to have contact to exchange experiences, find common strategies and get support is an crusial part of our work. International solidarity and mutual aid is as important among us as ever.
SAC international committees visit in Kiev was an important experience for us, and we hope to continue to stay in touch.
SAC wishes our comrades in Autonomus workers union a good first of may and good luck with the work place organizing!
Celebrate a red and black mayday, for a world without bosses and borders!
SAC
Hello comrades,
tomorrow is the international workers day, and we want to wish you the best in all your struggles. Here, in France, we have attentively read your messages explaining what is the situation in Ukraine, because we do not had a clear view of what was happening…
As IP from Poland and SAC from Sweden we are members of the Red & Black Coordination – and we hope we’ll meet you soon !
No war but class war !
In solidarity,
the International committee of the CNT-f
Dear Comrades & Friends,
On behalf of the Industrial Workers of the World we are sending revolutionary salutes around the globe to celebrate this year’s May Day, in association with our friends and comrades.
The current and recent struggles all over the world indicate more cuts in labor and workers’ life conditions than in improvements. At the same time we can see the increased emancipation of workers who stand up and fight for their rights, and we as workers’ organizations need to support those who need our solidarity or structural and organizational support.
May Day has been formed by workers as a symbol for International Solidarity. Our international structures and networks create, nowadays, fast and powerful actions against global capitalism. But we are still far from the ideal of an international labor movement.
So let’s stand together as organizations, celebrate the May Day inspired by International Solidarity, and think of improvements to our global movement for the immediate and long term future.
Solidarity Forever,
William B. and Florian H. on behalf of the
International Solidarity Commission
Industrial Workers of the World