Tacoma SDS

Tacoma-Olympia Mayday Calendar 2008: NOTE: UPDATED

OLYMPIA:
Noon Mayday Rally —Sylvester Park (Legion & Capitol Way, Oly)
2 PM Olympia March

TACOMA: (NOTE: UPDATED)
7 PM Working Families, Not War program—1911 Pacific Ave. Washington State History Museum, Tacoma
8:30 PM Candle-light Vigil at Federal Courthouse, 1717 Pacific Ave.

Background:
After some vigorous internal debate, the International Longshore & Warehouse Union has confirmed its decision to shut down the ports of the entire West Coast on May 1st, in support of workers’ rights and against the bloody and costly Iraq War. NO PEACE; NO WORK! BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!

May 1st became the international day of workers after a demonstration for the 8 hour was broken up in Chicago in 1886 with some of the workers being legally lynched. The “official” labor day in the U.S. has no particular historical importance and was established to undercut the movement to set May 1st as the real Labor Day. In 2006, Mayday was the occasion of massive demonstrations of immigrants demonstrating for the respect of their rights as workers and human beings against draconian legislation that was proposed. The longshore 2008 Mayday work stoppage is one of historic importance, and all who support the rights of all workers and an end to the Iraq War, should manifest this support on the streets come Thursday, May 1st.