May Day protests worldwide call for peace, higher wages, and fair working conditions

May Day rallies and street protests were held worldwide on May 1. Demonstrators called for peace, higher wages, and safer working conditions. Many workers said living costs rose as the Iran war affected energy prices. Organisers also linked the pressure to weaker purchasing power in many countries.

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International Workers Day is a public holiday in many places. Trade unions often use the day to raise issues. These include pay, pensions, and inequality, plus wider political concerns. Marches and gatherings took place from Seoul, Sydney and Jakarta to European capitals.

May Day rallies highlight Iran war cost pressures

Rising expenses tied to the Middle East conflict stood out in many protests. The European Trade Union Confederation spoke about the impact of the war. "Working people refuse to pay the price for Donald Trumps war in the Middle East,\" the group said. \"Todays rallies show working people will not stand by and see their jobs and living standards destroyed.\"

In Manila, crowds criticised the US role in the Iran war. Some protesters clashed with police near the US Embassy. In Casablanca, taxi drivers used horns during a protest. Bus drivers also parked vehicles on a main road. \"All my expenses have gone up, but my wages havent budged,\" Akherraz Lhachimi of the Moroccan Labour Union said.

Turkey saw hundreds detained in Istanbul during May Day actions. Authorities said some groups tried to march in restricted areas. Central Taksim Square was a key focus of restrictions. The square was linked to large 2013 protests. May Day rallies in Turkey often see clashes with police.

In Havana, tens of thousands gathered in a square across from the US Embassy. People celebrated Cuba’s workers and criticised US sanctions. Many carried banners reading, Down with Imperialism and U.S. hands off Cuba. President Miguel Díaz-Canel and former president Raúl Castro attended the event.

In Santiago, Chile, a May Day protest ended with vandalism and clashes. Police used water cannons and tear gas to break up the crowd. Elsewhere in Chile, other gatherings stayed calm. Thousands still marched to seek safer workplaces and improved working conditions.

May Day rallies focus on labour law changes in Europe

Several thousand people joined events across Portugal. Unions protested planned labour law changes. They said proposals could make dismissals easier. They also opposed limits on flexible schedules for breastfeeding women. Unions also criticised reduced miscarriage bereavement leave. \"Its the only voice we have. If it may or not have power over those that decide? Thats another issue, but we need to tell them we are not happy with what we have,\" public sector worker Paulo Domingues said.

May Day carried added weight in France due to a policy dispute. The holiday is the only day most employees must get paid leave. Tens of thousands marched, including in Paris, where brief scuffles broke out. Most shops, businesses and malls were shut. Hospitals, transport and hotels were among the exemptions.

A parliamentary proposal to widen work on May 1 drew union and left-wing criticism. The government then introduced a bill this week. It would let bakeries and florists open. Giving lily of the valley on May Day is a common tradition. \"May 1 is not just any day,\" Small and Medium-sized Businesses Minister Serge Papin said. \"It symbolises social gains stemming from a century of building social rules that have led to the labour code we know in France.\"

In South Africa, several May Day rallies were held in different places. Congress of South African Trade Unions leader Zingiswa Losi spoke about cost pressures. Zingiswa Losi said workers were suffocating under rising costs. Zingiswa Losi listed food, electricity, transport and healthcare as key burdens.

May Day rallies in the US target Trump policies

In the United States, May 1 is not a federal holiday. May Day Strong, a coalition of activist groups and unions, backed protests. The group used the slogan workers over billionaires. It also urged an economic blackout with no school, no work, no shopping. Demonstrators opposed President Donald Trumps policies, including an immigration crackdown.

Thousands attended a rally in a Chicago park, organisers said. \"Were seeing tons and tons of attacks on working people and on oppressed communities from the Trump administration, both at home and abroad,\" said Kathryn Stender, an activist with the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Native American dancers and mariachi bands performed. Monarch butterfly signs appeared, linked to immigrant rights.

Labour and immigrant rights have long overlapped in US politics. The May Day focus shifted strongly towards immigration in 2006. That year, about 1 million people marched across the country. Nearly half a million protested in Chicago alone. They opposed proposed federal legislation that would have made unlawful presence a felony.

With inputs from PTI