May Day Protests Could Be Biggest Since Women’s March

FEATURING KSHAMA SAWANT – Culminating more than a week of events from the March for Science to the People’s Climate March will be May Day. May 1st has traditionally been a celebration of workers rights that originated in the 1880s in Chicago. In the past decade or so immigrant workers have marked May Day to draw attention to their struggles and rights. This year, given the extreme attacks on immigrants and working class Americans from the White House and Republican Party, May Day is shaping up to be a massive political statement. Activists in many cities have called for a general strike.

In Seattle, Washington, city council member Kshama Sawant who was elected on a socialist platform, introduced a resolution for city workers to be allowed to take May Day off without penalty. Sawant has become one of the most prominent spokespeople in the nation for May Day actions and she now joins me to discuss the importance of the general strike.

Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Council member, first Socialist councilmember to be elected, affiliated with Socialist Alternative party.