No Kings protest on Worcester Common
People gather on the Worcester Common March 28 for a No Kings protests against the Trump administration.
- May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, has long honored workers and the labor movement’s history.
- This year, organizers, which include anti-Trump groups like 50501 and Indivisible, are using the global labor holiday to call attention to economic and workplace issues.
- Many of the May Day protests in Massachusetts revolve around schools, including school “walk-ins,” “stand-outs” or directives to wear red to show support for public education.
Just a little over a month after the third No Kings Day, another national mobilization effort is taking place on May 1, May Day, with nearly 100 protests planned around Massachusetts.
May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, has long honored workers and the labor movement’s history. This year, organizers of May Day Strong, which include anti-Trump groups like 50501 and Indivisible as well as teacher’s unions like the National Education Association, are using the global labor holiday to call attention to economic and workplace issues.
They have also framed this year’s May Day actions as opposition to policies of the Trump administration, citing immigration enforcement actions (ICE) and the war in Iran as part of a broader movement to push back against corporate influence and federal labor decisions.
For May Day 2026, organizers are encouraging supporters to avoid work, school and shopping on May 1 as part of coordinated protests and visibility actions across the country.
Several Massachusetts groups are part of the May Day Strong coalition, including the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance (MEJA), the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Massachusetts and the Western Massachusetts Area Labor Federation (AFL-CIO).
What holiday is May 1?
May 1, known as May Day or International Workers’ Day, commemorates the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labor movement.
While not a federal holiday in the United States, May Day is a holiday in many countries including India, Germany, Spain, Portugal, China, France and Greece, according to Britannica. In the U.S. and Canada, a similar observance — Labor Day — is the first Monday of September.
In recent years, May Day has taken on a political narrative in the US, with labor unions and advocacy groups using the date to launch rallies, marches and demonstrations, drawing attention to wages, working conditions and broader economic concerns. In 2025, scores of people filled the streets including in New York City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Denver, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Where are May Day protests near me?
As of April 29, there were around 95 May Day protests planned for May 1 across Massachusetts, according to event listings on Mobilize.
They include events at Worcester City Hall and Common from 4 – 8 p.m. and several rallies across Boston throughout the day. Protests are planned in all areas of the state, from Orleans to Newburyport to Pittsfield. Many of them revolve around schools, including school “walk-ins,” “stand-outs” or directives to wear red to show support for public education.
You can find one near you on the May Day Strong website or on Mobilize’s website.
Contributing: Lori Comstock
