Roughly 500 labour groups across the United States have organised a widespread economic blackout calling for “no school, no work, no shopping” to mark May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day.The events, organised as part of an initiative called May Day Strong, were inspired by economic boycotts following ramped-up immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the deaths of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe events are broad in scope but are overall efforts to protest government policies that prioritise the ultra-wealthy over working-class people.May Day Strong has a broad set of demands, including “tax the rich” and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — a call that comes as Republicans voted on Wednesday on a budgetary measure that would fund the agency under the Department of Homeland Security.It also calls for ending war and “expanding democracy”, according to a statement from the group.While the tent is broad in nature, organisers stressed that it is a result of a wide set of challenges facing the US worker.“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,” New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Brendan Griffith said in a statement to Al Jazeera. P …
