
Happy International Workers' Day 2020! On this day, people normally march shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with workers and immigrants, but the COVID-19 pandemic has turned such public displays into public health risks. However, the pandemic has also revealed some of the world's largest corporations and landlords as the vampiric death cults they are and always have been, which has united essential workers and tenants across the country in "unprecedented" numbers. Though long lines of sign-wielding demonstrators won't be marching down avenues (probably, for the most part), the "heroes" on the frontline are staging strikes, boycotts, and protests all over. Here's a running list of national and local May Day strikes you might consider joining to support workers, tenants, and in some cases masked fashionistas who hate corporate glass.
• May Day General Strike: Workers at Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Trader Joes, Walmart, Instacart, FedEx, and Shipt do not want a t-shirt with the word "hero" on it. They want sick leave, hazard pay, personal protective equipment, and safe working conditions. They're calling for people not to shop at those outlets today. So buy your books and your dildos and your apples elsewhere.
Beginning on May 1st — International Worker’s Day — thousands of essential workers from across the country are going on strike for better pay and safer working conditions.
Pass it on! pic.twitter.com/iSGLolQtbK
— MIDWEST #RENTSTRIKE (@MW_Unrest) April 29, 2020
• El Comité and the May 1st Action Coalition's caravan to Olympia
For 20+ years, organized labor has joined immigrant rights and community activists for the #MayDay march. This year trade unionists will be joining El Comité and the May 1st Action Coalition in a vehicle caravan to the State Capitol. Register to join. https://t.co/qT4Pv2agb4
— Washington EA (@washingtonea) April 30, 2020
• Tax Amazon Car Caravan Protest:
Tomorrow, May 1, is International Workers' Day!
Join us for a *social-distanced* Car Caravan protest for the Amazon Tax!
Noon @ Amazon Spheres (7th & Lenora).
Tell City Council to show leadership in this EMERGENCY! Fund social housing - create jobs!https://t.co/WUV6RVNwvW pic.twitter.com/22LYfqumKQ
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) May 1, 2020
• Tenants in various apartment buildings in Seattle are organizing for rent relief, including those renting from Cornell & Associates.
Do you live in a Cornell & Associates building? Are you or your neighbors out of work? C&A tenants across the city are getting organized - We have your back! pic.twitter.com/e3MzDe2ap7
— Puget Sound Tenants Union (@soundtenants) April 30, 2020
I'll continue updating this post throughout the day. If I'm missing your thing, feel free to slide into my DMs or shoot me an email with a link.