GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – In honor of May Day and International Workers Day, a group of political activists gathered at Leicht Park on Thursday evening.
The Northeast Wisconsin Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) celebrated the day by rallying for International Workers and Immigration Rights, despite the rain.
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The event description said the event is to “organize for a world where every family has housing, healthcare, fair wages, union protection and safety regardless of race, zip code or immigration status.”
The origin of ‘May Day’ in the United States began around May 1, 1886, when labor unions called for a nationwide strike urging for an eight-hour work day, and over 300,000 workers walked off the job. The movement was largely based in Chicago.
Northeast Wisconsin DSA Co-Chair Gloria De Grave cited the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, which occurred on May 4, 1886, when police and labor organizers fought amidst the nationwide strike. De Grave mentioned that the goal of this protest is to fight for people over profit.
“We are advocating for us to move back to the eight-hour work day and for people to be more important than profit,” De Grave said. “We also want to focus on what we believe is best for the working class. We believe that the working class should be in power.”
The protest in Green Bay was just one of many that occurred in cities throughout the nation on Thursday. Click here to learn more about the history of May Day.
