International Workers’ Solidarity Day and Renewal of Commitment for the Battles Ahead
May first, International Workers’ Day, is approaching. The true significance of this day, above all, lies in its global nature. This day does not belong to the workers of a specific country, a particular nation, or a certain region; it is a day when workers across the world, despite all linguistic, cultural, ethnic, and national differences, recognize themselves as part of a global class. A class that everywhere in the world, despite differences in wage levels, forms of contracts, or types of governments, faces a common reality: exploitation, insecurity, instability, and deprivation from their rightful share of the wealth they themselves produce.
This global character distinguishes May Day from many other occasions. On this day, workers from Iran, Turkey, Palestine, France, India, and Latin America, each in different conditions, converge within a shared horizon. It is this feature that turns International Workers’ Day into a day of transnational solidarity. Capitalism is global, production chains are global, profit and capital know no borders; therefore, the struggle of workers cannot remain confined within narrow national frameworks. May Day is a reminder of this reality: that the working class, despite all divisions imposed upon it from above, shares common and historical interests.
At the same time, the global nature of May Day does not mean that this day is detached from the concrete realities of workers’ lives in each country. On the contrary, it derives its meaning precisely from those daily struggles and hardships. Wherever a worker fights for unpaid wages, job security, insurance, the right to organize, the right to strike, and gender equality, May Day belongs to them. This day is both a reminder of the history of working-class struggle and a moment to connect immediate demands to a broader horizon of social liberation.
In Iran, holding May Day events has a doubled importance. The working class in Iran is living through one of its most difficult historical periods: runaway inflation, collapse of purchasing power, mass layoffs, temporary contracts, expansion of subcontracting, unsafe working conditions, repression of independent organizations, and deprivation of the most basic labor and political rights. Under such conditions, May Day is a day to be seen, to take the stage, and to express workers’ demands independently.
Of course, the Islamic Republic has always attempted to restrict, control, or suppress independent labor events. At the same time, however, it has officially recognized this occasion, and this fact limits its ability to completely prevent independent May Day activities. In other words, the government cannot deny the existence of the day itself, even though it seeks to empty it of content and reduce it to a formal, ineffective, state-controlled event. Yet past experiences have shown that independent May Day events in Iran are possible. In different regions of the country, workers, teachers, retirees, women activists, and social activists have marked this day in various forms: from gatherings and small meetings to issuing statements, organizing discussions, cultural programs, collective presence in public spaces, and other diverse initiatives. These experiences demonstrate that this opportunity can and must be used.
This year, the importance of May Day for workers in Iran has increased for another reason as well. The recent war has imposed a heavy cost on the working class. Many of the infrastructures and workplaces where workers were employed have been destroyed. A significant number of workers have lost their lives. But the disaster does not end there. The economic and social consequences of war are far broader. According to available estimates, more than two million people have been added to the ranks of the unemployed in Iran as a result of this war. This means millions of smaller tables, millions of more insecure families, and a darker future for a large portion of the labor force.
Under such conditions, workers gathering on May Day takes on a special meaning. Even if held in limited and local forms, these gatherings represent solidarity in the midst of hardship. By coming together, workers remind themselves and society that they are not alone, that their suffering is not individual or isolated, and that the response to this situation can only be collective and organized. At a time when war, poverty, unemployment, and repression seek to fragment, silence, and isolate the working class, the very act of gathering and standing together is a crucial step in rebuilding trust, determination, and class solidarity.
May Day is also a day to renew commitment for future struggles. On this day, workers prepare for what lies ahead, a future in which they must fight for the right to independent organization, the right to strike, wages in line with the cost of living, job security, unemployment insurance, the reconstruction of destroyed workplaces, and the protection of workers’ lives and livelihoods. May Day is the day when these demands can be raised more loudly, more collectively, and more clearly.
For this reason, defending the independent and widespread observance of May Day in Iran is a defense of the immediate and vital needs of the working class. Every event, every gathering, every statement, and every initiative on this day can be a step toward strengthening organization, increasing confidence in collective power, and preparing for larger struggles ahead. May Day is the global day of workers because workers of the world meet in it; and in today’s Iran, more than ever, it must become a day of unity, solidarity, and determination to continue the struggle.
