Labor and Immigrant Workers March for International Workers’ Day
On May 1, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO (CLC), the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), unions, immigrant organizations and other community members packed Washington Square Park before marching by the thousands to Foley Square to commemorate May Day, or International Workers’ Day.
There was an intersection of those in New York City's movement-building spaces telling stories of immigrant workers sustaining New York’s economy and communities every day. At the same time, many of these same workers are facing the threat of deportation, and calling attention to the increasing threats of workplace exploitation, and exclusion from labor protections and due process.
Immigrant workers and union members power New York's worksites in construction, at hospitals, restaurants, on delivery routes, in the care economy, and beyond. Immigrants contribute approximately $3.1 billion in state and local taxes each year, funding schools, providing services, and underwriting social programs. Many immigrants are union members and keep our city and state running.
The Trump administration's assaults on working people, from ICE raids and the rollback of TPS and humanitarian parole to stripping federal workers of bargaining rights, canceling union contracts, and targeting workers based on how they look or what language they speak, is a direct attack on the entire Labor Movement and a deliberate strategy to drive down wages and break worker power for everyone. We as workers are at risk when exploited or exploitable; our solidarity transcends identities, borders, industries, and union halls to create pathways to our collective dignity at work and for our families.
The struggles of the present and adversities of the past necessitate a diaspora of voices to come together on May Day. The fight for labor rights and immigrant justice have always been intersectional. A strong Labor Movement requires standing against workplace abuses, including deportations. Right now, it is necessary for our collective voices to rebuke the politics of isolation and contempt. We must confront policies that exploit and divide workers and the working class writ large. Lasting progress depends on collective action.
“We always say that New York City is a Union Town, and that’s because in this city, working people stand together. Since Inauguration Day, corporate billionaires and the Project 2025 agenda have driven attacks on our rights and freedoms, including by targeting workers based on how we look, the language we speak, or the work we do, and undermining our first amendment rights and our freedom of association. That goes against everything our city and our Labor Movement stand for. May Day is about solidarity, and in New York City, that means standing together and fighting back against anyone who tries to divide working people,” said New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Brendan Griffith.
“International Workers’ Day is a reminder that immigrant rights and labor rights are one and the same. Immigrant workers are the backbone of New York. But despite their contributions, immigrant New Yorkers are being targeted, exploited, and separated from their families. Albany must stand up for our communities by passing New York for All and ensuring that no one lives in fear simply for working to support their family,” said Murad Awawdeh, President & CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
“May Day is a day when workers come together to fight the forces that favor billionaires over those that make our cities work. Whether it was the fight for an eight-hour day 150 years ago or the fight against those who have outsized influence on our government today, we come together to make change. One fight that has been at the center of May Day has been lifting the voices of immigrant workers who too often get left out and left behind. Today, we stand together in solidarity with all workers and immigrants who power our workplaces and economies and enrich our communities and country. Workers’ rights, immigrant rights, healthcare, our climate, and democracy are under severe attack. It’s more important than ever for workers to remind our nation of the worker power we hold every day and take our demands for justice to the streets,” said Manny Pastreich, President, 32BJ SEIU.
“Our union represents the EPA workers in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and we are marching in solidarity this May Day to reject all unfair and inhumane treatment of workers. Our fight to regain our union rights, shared by hundreds of thousands of federal workers nationwide, is ongoing and it is existential. On May Day and every day, we stand with our siblings in labor, we honor each fight that comprises this movement, and we commit ourselves to standing strong against tyranny,” said Suzanne Englot, President, AFGE Local 3911.
“The working class is fighting back. May Day is a reminder of the power of our collective action, and today, we stand together to defeat corporate greed, defend our climate, and build a New York where immigrants and workers are safe, empowered, and earn a living wage,” said Theodore A. Moore, Executive Director, Alliance for a Greater New York.
“May Day is a perfect time for AGMA members to assert loud and clear that Artists are Workers!” said Ned Hanlon, President, American Guild of Musical Artists. “Whether we work on a stage, a construction site, an office, or deliver goods by bike, all workers deserve fair compensation, benefits, and security. Our workplaces need to be places where we remain safe, supported, and treated with respect and dignity.”
“National Nurses United (NNU) recognizes that May Day is a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the Trump Administration and the billionaire class the real potential of working people’s power when we stand united. Nurses are proud to help build a vision for a healthy society as we add our voices to the mighty chorus of the labor movement. NNU stands firm against the attacks on federal employees, including our VA nurses. Our First Amendment rights protect all of us. For the public good, VA nurses and doctors must be safe to share concerns for veteran healthcare,” said Brother James Young, Navy Veteran & Director, Brooklyn NNU.
“On May Day, we’re reminded that every right working people have ever won—from fair wages to safe workplaces—came from collective action. But today, as costs soar and billionaires tighten their grip on our economy, those hard-fought gains are under threat. Working families aren’t asking for handouts, they're demanding dignity, stability, and a fair chance to thrive. It’s time for our leaders to stand with workers, not the ultra-wealthy, and invest in the people that keep this country running,” said Ravo Root, Political Director, Citizen Action of New York.
“On this May Day, we stand in the legacy of those who fought before us—and we organize for those coming after us. As workers, our struggle has never been just for wages, but for dignity, justice, and power on the job and in our communities. When we stand united, we don’t just demand change—we make it inevitable!” said Andrew Hackman, 1st VP, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists NY Chapter.
"As military veterans, we signed up out of a desire to protect everyone in our communities, including our undocumented neighbors. To use militarized federal police, ICE agents, and National Guard to separate families and put American communities under siege is a profound betrayal of both American values and universal human rights. This International Workers Day, Common Defense stands in solidarity with all workers regardless of immigration status and urges Governor Hochul to pass the New York for All Act to ensure that no worker lives in fear just for trying to provide for their family and live in peace,” said Jose Vasquez, U.S. Army veteran and Executive Director, Common Defense.
“On May Day, we honor all workers, including our immigrant brothers and sisters and families — both those who came before us, and those who work alongside us and within our union ranks now. It’s never been more true that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and we will stand toe-to-toe against anyone who would attempt to strip our members, or any worker, of their rights. Here in New York, we MUST step up our fight not just to protect our rights, but to expand them and ensure that all workers throughout this city are able to live, work, and thrive,” said Dennis G. Trainor, Vice President, CWA District 1.
"Friends of Standing Together USA stands for workers' rights today and every day. Workers' rights are human rights! Everyone deserves a living wage, a safe place to work and live, access to healthcare, and clean air and water — regardless of where they come from and what language they speak. Just as Standing Together in Israel-Palestine fights for human rights between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, FoST USA fights for those same rights to freedom and safety here in the United States,” said Tamara Gayer, Strategic Director, Friends of Standing Together USA.
"Food & Water Watch stands with all hard-working New Yorkers, and we will keep fighting every day for safe, affordable food, clean water, and a livable climate that working families depend on to thrive in America,” said Eric Weltman, Brooklyn-based senior organizer, Food & Water Watch.
“Across our city, working people are facing unsafe and exploitative work conditions, forced to take on multiple jobs and work long hours. This is all the more true for Black, brown, and immigrant New Yorkers. Trump and his billionaire buddies are cutting workplace protections, privatizing health care, and criminalizing immigrant workers — while workers suffer, they get richer. We refuse to accept this as the status quo. This International Workers’ Day and every day, Hands off NYC is proud to stand in solidarity with workers and communities of New York,” said Hae-Lin Choi, Co-Founder, Hands Off NYC.
"Our union's master contract covering 30,000 NYC hotel workers is set to expire this summer. This May Day, hundreds of HTC members are marching to show their solidarity – not just with their fellow hotel workers who will be fighting for a fair contract, but with the entire NYC labor movement," said Rich Maroko, President, Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO.
"This May Day, I am so proud to know that members of The Animation Guild IATSE Local 839 will be out in the streets of New York marching alongside their Union kin. Six years ago, those same workers made the choice to organize their workplace from the ground up and made history for our Union, and our industry, in the process. I'm humbled by their bravery, and the bravery of workers everywhere who demand the respect they are owed," said Danny Lin, President, IATSE Local 839, The Animation Guild.
“Drivers are essential workers who keep New York moving, yet many still lack stability and basic protections. We stand in solidarity with all workers and call for fairness, dignity, and a voice for drivers in the future of work,” said Brandon Sexton, President, Independent Drivers Guild.
“On International Workers’ Day, Las Doñas honors the immigrant workers, mothers, caregivers, street vendors, domestic workers, farmworkers, and community leaders whose labor sustains our families, our cities, and this country. Too often, our people are expected to work in the shadows while being denied dignity, protections, and respect. Today, we march and organize to remind the world that immigrant labor is powerful, essential, and deserving of safety, fair wages, and justice. From our homes to the streets, Las Doñas will continue building power so that every worker can live, work, and lead with dignity,” said Tony Alarcon, Executive Director, Las Doñas.
“Our labor movement was born out of militancy, and the only thing that works to protect and advance our rights is never backing down from a challenge and always stepping up to protect and advance the welfare of all workers. We will not be silent when our fundamental rights are under attack,” said Mike Hellstrom, Vice President and Eastern Regional Manager, LIUNA.
"Laborers' Local 1010 stands shoulder to shoulder with every worker marching today, because May Day belongs to all of us. Our members don't just contribute to New York, they are the foundation of it. They install our playgrounds, pour the concrete, and pave the city that the rest of the world admires, yet some of our LIUNA members do so while facing threats that no working person should ever have to endure. Enough is enough. New York is for All and NYS should protect all of our members so they can do their jobs, provide for their families, and live with the dignity and safety every worker deserves. When they come for one of us, they come for all of us. Local 1010 will never stop fighting back,” said Keith Loscalzo, Business Manager, Laborers’ Local 1010, LIUNA.
“As a mechanic, I used to drive freely across New York State without fear to work, support my family, and contribute to different communities. However, that freedom has been taken away from me. Now, every day I fear immigration enforcement and that an ICE agent will approach me, stop me, and detain me, even if I do nothing wrong. Right now, nothing is stopping local law enforcement from colluding with ICE—turning over our loved ones who are just trying to live their lives. We must end this practice. On this International Workers’ Day, I stand in support of the New York for All Act. Governor and leaders of the Senate and the Assembly, you must deliver true protections for all New Yorkers. You must deliver New York for All. Every day that goes by without it is a day that another family is torn apart,” said Edison, Westchester resident and member, Make the Road New York.
“All New Yorkers deserve housing, health care, fair wages, union protection, and safety — regardless of their race, immigration status, or zip code. As the Trump administration targets immigrant families, defunds our schools, and privatizes public services, we must fight back and protect our communities. State lawmakers must pass New York For All, so every New Yorker can safely work, live, and thrive here,” said Valentina Amazonas, Organizer, New York Civil Liberties Union.
"As Trump continues his illegal wars across the globe and prices rise, necessities of life are no longer affordable for the vast majority of workers as billionaires and corrupt politicians continue to profit. Only an organized working class can defeat the current administration's assaults on immigrants and Amazon's exploitation. NYC-DSA stands with New York's unions and the working class movement to call for the passage of New York for All, Dignity Not Detention, and a state budget that taxes millionaires and corporations, putting the profits of stolen labor back into the public good,” said Gustavo Gordillo, co-chair, NYC Democratic Socialists of America.
"May Day is a time to remember our strength and our solidarity as workers. As the Trump administration attacks immigrants and dismantles our workers' rights, health and safety protections, and healthcare system, it's more important than ever that we come together and fight for a New York for all,” said Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, President, New York State Nurses Association and National Nurses United.
“OPEIU Local 153 members unequivocally stand with immigrants who have been part of the vibrant fabric of our Local since the beginning. On this May Day, Local 153 members are in solidarity with workers across New York City — especially those who are under attack by the federal government — in demanding an immediate end to cruel family separation and deportation, the passage of New York for All, and the end to billionaire rule of our workplaces,” said Nicholas Galipeau, Secretary-Treasurer, OPEIU Local 153
"This May Day, workers and patients continue to experience the horrors of our healthcare system—the delays, the care denials, the lack of access, the crushing costs, the preventable death, disability, and illness. We are here by the thousands, by the millions, to say no more to the billionaires and the tech bros and the captains of finance who think they can extract profits from our health and our bodies, and are terrorizing our communities with their militarized secret police. We are here as healthcare workers and patients to demand that our public tax dollars go to care, not corporate health insurer and big pharma profits, more tax breaks for the rich, cops, cages, ICE and warfare. We are here to demand universal, single payer healthcare for all New Yorkers, for everybody in this country, including undocumented immigrants. Pass New York for All, the New York Health Act and Medicare for All, immediately! Nothing less,” said Roona Ray, MD, MPH, Vice Chair, Physicians for a National Health Program - New York Metro Chapter.
"On May Day, we show our strength as a labor movement that understands the need for solidarity among unionized and unorganized workers, among native born and immigrant laborers, among our students, faculty and staff. PSC embraces this international workers holiday as we build coalitions to protect our rights and benefits and defend higher education, our immigrant neighbors, and our democracy,” said James Davis, President, Professional Staff Congress.
“Working people are fed up and this May Day we have a strong message: we’ve had enough. We are tired of the attacks on workers’ rights and immigrants’ rights, we are tired of rising prices and cuts to important services, we are tired of wars and divisiveness and all the craziness coming out of Washington. And we are ready to fight to turn this country around,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President, Retail Wholesale & Department Store Union.
“St John’s University faculty was the first in the nation to formally strike in 1966-67, ushering in decades of successful collective bargaining. This May Day, the legacy of that hard-fought battle is at risk as the administration has de-recognized our unions. As academic freedom and worker rights are being rolled back throughout Higher Ed and across the country, we are proud to pay the debt of our forebears, stand with our allies, and reclaim the dignity of our labor. These are non-negotiable parts of our Vincentian tradition,” said Sophie Bell, Professor and President, local St. John’s University AAUP Chapter.
"This May Day, we remind Billionaires that it's the people and the working class who have the power. It is off our exploitation that they amass their wealth while we are left with scraps. Our government serves to uphold and enable them, and yet our cries for the bare minimum go ignored. Billionaires have never been richer when the cost of living continues to skyrocket. Millions are spent everyday on foreign wars no one wants and wages remain stagnant. Millions lose healthcare and food assistance, and thousands are dragged away and deported with no due process. Only with collective resistance and economic disruption can we show Billionaires the clowns they are," said Michael-Luca Natt, organizer, Sunrise Movement NYC.
“This May Day, thousands of UAW members will unite with workers all over New York City to fight back against the increasing authoritarian attacks on the working class at home and abroad. We demand an end to the system that perpetuates war, genocide, and deportation over the needs of working-class people in our neighborhoods and our workplaces. As we prepare for a showdown with the corporate class on May Day 2028, UAW members are active in every city, fighting for living wages, universal healthcare, a dignified retirement, and time off to spend with our families," said Brandon Mancilla, Director, UAW Region 9A.
“Unions have proven to be one of the organizations able to stand up to power. Only by working together can we bring about the change our communities and working families demand and deserve," said Michael Mulgrew, President, United Federation of Teachers.
“May Day is a celebration of workers, labor unions and justice for working families. For UUP, this May Day is also about an issue that’s at the very heart of organized labor: collectively bargaining a new contract. For months, our union has been at the bargaining table with the state of New York working to hammer out a new agreement. We seek a contract with job security and strong job protections, superior, affordable health benefits and fair wage increases that recognize the work of our members—who power the State University of New York. May Day is the perfect day to raise our voices and use our collective might to yell out that UUP demands a fair contract now,” said Fred Kowal, President, United University Professions.
“May Day is a reminder that this country only runs because working people make it run, and we have the power to shut it down when the rules are rigged against us. When immigrant and working families walk out together and reject a system that puts billionaire fortunes ahead of our lives, we create the kind of pressure that moves power. The Workers Circle has spent more than a century organizing workers, and this May Day we are showing our full strength to prove exactly who sustains this nation,” said Ann Toback, CEO, Workers Circle.
“We are united in our call for dignity for all workers. Now more than ever, solidarity matters; labor education and community engagement are crucial to defend worker dignity, union rights, academic freedom and our Democracy,” said Dr. Campos-Medina, Executive Director, Worker Institute at ILR Cornell.