Thousands Gather in Madison for May Day 2019 Demanding Drivers License For All & Declaring There are ‘No Borders in the Workers’ Struggle’ (No Hay Fronteras En la Lucha Obrera)!

By WI BOPM

MADISON, MAY DAY — In a mighty show of working class power, thousands of diverse workers descended on the state capitol in Madison on May 1, 2019, May Day.

Sponsored by the migrant and workers rights organization Voces de la Frontera and its youth organization Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES), the theme for the day was “Day Without Latinxs and Immigrants.” Multiple organizations statewide endorsed and supported the protest. Well over 175 businesses statewide closed either in solidarity with the May Day action or due to a lack of workers.

Workers from well over a dozen cities in Wisconsin traveled to Madison to demand drivers licenses for all, union rights, no bans and no wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, and in-state tuition for undocumented students. Other slogans raised included “No Borders In the Workers’ Struggle,” “Education Not Deportation,” “Free Healthcare and Public Education for All,” “Free Chrystul Kizer,” “Money for People’s Needs Not Prisons,” and “Money For Federal Workers Not A U.S. Coup in Venezuela!”

Public education workers throughout the state participated in solidarity contingents to Madison. Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) affiliate members from Madison, Milwaukee, Racine and other locations participated. Other union members from AFSCME, SEIU, the Sheet Metal Workers, the IWW, UFCW and others joined in.

Students and youth as well came from K-12 and higher education campuses statewide.

Beginning with fabulous live music and then a bold rally on the steps of the state capitol, multiple speakers from a rainbow of labor, community, faith-based, anarchist, socialist and student organizations pledged solidarity with the demands of Voces de la Frontera and YES. From there thousands of marchers marched around the state capitol multiple times and then entered the state capitol where they packed the rotunda. ###

MORE COVERAGE: Wisconsin Bail Out The People Movement

May 1st Day Without Latinxs & Immigrants—Driver Licenses for All

Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association

#DriverLicenses4All

#WIRedForED #FightForFunding

Image may contain: 11 people, people smiling, people standing and outdoor