Join your local May Day Rally
Join your local May Day rally to celebrate the work of trade unions and the labour movement and to press for better terms, conditions and pay for all workers.
May Day has its roots in the successes of the American labour movement in the 19th century delivering the eight-hour working day. In the 1970s, Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan created the May Day bank holiday to coincide with International Workers’ Day.
A key event in the trade union calendar, International Workers’ Day events will see millions of trade unionists and workers across the world come together to celebrate the achievements of organised labour and campaign for better pay, terms and conditions.
England
PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote will address the London May Day Rally which will assemble at Clerkenwell Green at noon on Wednesday 1 May.
There will also be events on Saturday 4 May in Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Leicester, Newcastle, Plymouth, Bristol and Stroud. PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote will also address the Chesterfield rally on Monday 6 May.
Check out the PCS Events page for more rallies as they are added.
Scotland
Rallies and parades are planned across both days of the weekend with Aberdeen and Dundee events taking place on Saturday 4 May and Glasgow and Edinburgh on Sunday 5 May.
Northern Ireland
This year’s annual May Day rally will gather in Writers’ Square on Saturday 4 May and feature speeches from leading trade union and community activists followed by a lively and colourful parade through the city centre celebrating trade union unity, resilience and diversity before returning to Donegall Street.
The theme for this year is ‘Better in a Union’ with keynote speaker Rozanne Foyer, General Secretary of the Scottish TUC.
Wales
The May Day rallies in Swansea and Cardiff, both on 4 May, are particularly in support of Tata steel workers who are taking action in defence of their industry.