New York is, and always has been, a union town.
From the ashes of tragedy to the picket lines of progress, many of the most consequential victories for working people began here in Manhattan. As we mark May Day—International Workers’ Day—we honor that legacy and remind ourselves that the fight for fair pay, dignity, and safety at work is far from over.
May Day traces its roots to the Haymarket Affair tragedy in Chicago in 1886. After the deadly attacks on a peaceful labor rally in support of the 8-hour day, workers across the country walked off their jobs in a massive sign of unity and protest.
Since then, May 1st has become a global symbol of labor resistance. Much like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that struck here in Manhattan decades later, a moment of tragedy helped catalyze a generation of progress and reform.
Out of these movements came the foundation of modern workplace protections: child labor laws, the weekend, overtime pay, and the idea that every worker deserves rights, safety, and respect on the job.
It’s no coincidence that May Day and International Women’s Day originate from the labor movement. Here in Manhattan, the two struggles have always been intertwined. Women, immigrants, and people of color have historically been the backbone of this city’s workforce and the soul of its labor movement.
One of the most potent examples is Clara Lemlich, a young Jewish immigrant and garment worker on the Lower East Side. In 1909, at just 23 years old, she stood up at a union meeting and called for a general strike, igniting the “Uprising of the 20,000″—a massive walkout led by women in the garment industry.
Their demands were simple: fair pay, safe conditions, and human dignity. Their courage set the stage for sweeping labor victories in New York and beyond, and their voices echo in every fight for workers’ rights today.
As we celebrate our city’s rich history of union organizing and labor victories, we must remain vigilant against the challenges we face today.
Across the country, billionaires like Elon Musk are attacking labor organizers while praising authoritarian models of workplace control. Major corporations are busting unions and retaliating when their employees demand better working conditions.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is attempting to dismantle federal unions by executive order, rescinding public workers’ right to join a union and stripping away their collective bargaining rights.
These attacks don’t stop at public sector unions. They threaten to destroy the basic idea that workers have a right to fair treatment in the workplace and deserve a seat at the table. And we must fight back.
It’s why we are fighting to protect the right to organize and collectively bargain in workplaces across the city. We are fighting for safe staffing in healthcare settings, class size mandates in our classrooms, project labor agreements on city property, and protections against wage theft and misclassification. We are pushing for city contracts to pay fairly and on time and calling for increased funding for municipal workers in the budget.
Because our city relies on workers who keep us safe, healthy, housed, clothed, and cared for. And because fair wages, benefits, time off, and job security aren’t luxuries—they’re the foundations of a functioning economy and our social fabric.
As we look ahead, let’s remember that labor built Manhattan. From the train tunnels to the hospitals, the classrooms to the garment shops, this borough was shaped by working people who demanded more and made this city better for all of us.
Let’s honor their legacy with reflection and action by building worker power, fighting to expand labor rights, and showing that even in the face of attacks from Washington, D.C. – New York will always be a union town.
