Thousands of Greek workers, mainly from various leftist parties and trade unions, rallied in Athens to mark May Day.
May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, is a day of great significance for workers around the world. The tradition of workers striking on May 1st dates back to the late 19th century when labor movements emerged to advocate for better working conditions, fair wages, and the implementation of an eight-hour workday.
Unionized workers affiliated with several unions, including The Civil Servants’ Confederation (ADEDY) and the Greek General Confederation of Labor (GSEE) have called their members to rally at Syntagma Square opposite the Greek parliament.
While the main body of the demonstration is made up of the major trade union PAME and the Greek Communist Party (KKE), other leftist parties, including main opposition SYRIZA and former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis’ MeRA25 party and PASOK-KINAL, also took part.
Αυτή τη στιγμή στο Σύνταγμα απευθείας σύνδεση με τη Ραμάλα… η ιστορία έχει μια σωστή πλευρά, με την Παλαιστίνη ως τη λευτεριά!!! #FreePalestine #MayDay #Πρωτομαγια pic.twitter.com/RO5eisq7pm
— Τόνια Παπακώστα (@toniapap93) May 1, 2024
Demonstrators also expressed their solidarity with the Palestinians and the students of Columbia University and other universities in the US who campaigned against the Israeli operation in Gaza and were forcefully removed from the campus by the police on Tuesday evening.
Μήνυμα αλληλεγγύης στους φοιτητές των ΗΠΑ και τις συγκλονιστικές τους κινητοποίησεις ενάντια στην κατοχή της Παλαιστίνης και την γενοκτονία του λαού της από το κράτος – δολοφόνο του Ισραήλ στέλνουν φοιτητές που διαδηλώνουν στο Σύνταγμα.
«Απέναντι στο όργιο καταστολή και… pic.twitter.com/sr5ngsVrJq
— Οδηγητής (@odigitis) May 1, 2024
May Day strikes paralyze transport in Greece
The Athens metro will operate from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on May Day, due to the decision of transport workers to participate in a strike, its operator STASY has said.
Buses and the tram in the capital will begin servicing routes from 9 a.m. but will return to depots by 9 p.m.
By order of the police, Syntagma metro station will remain closed from the start of services at 9.30 a.m. “until further notice” and trains will pass through without stopping.
Despite a strike called by railway unions, there will be skeleton train and suburban railway services.
Ferry services will halt on May 1 due to the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation strike. The strike, affecting all ship types nationwide, will commence at 00:01 on May Day and will conclude 24 hours later.
Roots of May Day
The roots of May Day as a day of workers’ strikes can be traced back to the Haymarket affair in Chicago in 1886. On May 1st of that year, labor unions organized a nationwide strike to demand an eight-hour workday.
The culmination of the strike was a peaceful rally at Haymarket Square, during which a bomb was thrown, resulting in the deaths of several police officers and civilians.
The incident led to a crackdown on labor activists and the subsequent execution of several anarchists, fueling further protests and demonstrations in support of workers’ rights.
The Haymarket affair and the events that followed it served as a catalyst for the establishment of May 1st as International Workers’ Day, with the date chosen to honor the labor movement and commemorate the struggles of workers worldwide.
The historical significance of May Day as a day of workers’ strikes is deeply ingrained in the collective memory of labor movements and continues to inspire workers to advocate for their rights through organized action.