This Thursday is May Day—also known as International Workers’ Day—and Portland is showing up. From a rally hosted by the Portland Association of Teachers on May 1 to weekend events for the working stiffs who can't call out, Portlanders have options for how they want to celebrate workers' rights.
If the day's title reminds you more of a ribbon-strewn maypole than workers’ rights, you’re not alone. Though May Day emerged out of the tumultuous US labor movement in the late 19th century, it’s far more celebrated internationally than it is in the US. But given the full calendar of events in Portland this year, more and more people seem to be catching on.
What is now known as May Day started as a massive, nationwide general strike on May 1, 1886, in which hundreds of thousands of workers walked off their jobs, demanding an eight-hour workday. In subsequent protests police and workers clashed. Some of these demonstrations—most notably the Haymarket Affair in Chicago—ended in tragedy. Both workers and police were killed, and labor activists were rounded up and punished, some by death.
In the following years, labor advocates from around the world decided to commemorate the 1886 general strikes, deeming May 1 International Workers’ Day. While it took years of worker action—and, arguably, the Bolshevik Revolution—for the eight-hour work day to become the norm in many countries, the first May Day protests were instrumental in strengthening the international labor movement.
As the American labor movement weakened, May Day’s significance waned in the US as well. (It also faces competition from Labor Day in September.) But for labor advocates around the world, and dedicated activists in the US, May Day has always been a day to celebrate—and demand more for—workers. And with nationally-known labor figures like United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain calling for a general strike on May Day 2028, the holiday is gaining more mainstream recognition.
This year, the federal government’s attacks on workers, immigrants, and marginalized people across the board make May Day commemorations all the more relevant and important. Here’s the Mercury’s roundup of ways to commemorate International Workers’ Day this year.
Thursday, May 1
50501 May Day rally and march
Drawing from an idea of holding 50 protests in 50 US states on the same day, as a show of strength and solidarity, 50501 is one of the organizations behind the recent, well-attended “Hands Off” protests against the Trump administration. The group’s May Day rally and march on Thursday will focus on workers’ rights, which 50501 says are “essential in our fight against billionaire oligarchs.” (South Park Blocks at Portland State University, 1803 SW Park, Thurs May 1, 1-5 pm; rally kicks off at 1 pm, a two-mile march starts at 2 pm, more info here)
May Day rally in Pioneer Square
Organized by Indivisible Cedar Mill, this rally in Pioneer Courthouse Square may draw from the earlier gathering at PSU or the after-work crowd. "The mass firings of thousands of Federal employees is not only cruel, but has crippled our government agencies and vital services," the group writes. "This May Day we are standing with workers everywhere and making our voices heard loud and clear!" The flyer mentions sign-making and a "victory garden," which is either attendees donating seeds to a seed bank or actively working with soil and small pots to get seedling sprouts started (both?). (Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th, Thurs May 1, 4:30 pm-6 pm, more info here)
The Portland Association of Teachers’ rally
PAT, the Portland Public Schools teachers’ union, is organizing a rally downtown with other local labor groups. The rally is meant to be an opportunity for working people to “reclaim our power from corporate elites” like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and “their billionaire backers.”
“Musk, Trump and their fellow profiteers are trying to create a race to the bottom—on wages, on benefits, on dignity itself,” the event description states. “[On] May Day 2025, we are standing united with other labor unions and community organizations. We're organizing for a world where every family has housing, healthcare, fair wages, union protection, and safety—regardless of race, zip code, or immigration status.” (Terry Schrunk Plaza , 431 SW Madison, Thurs May 1, 5:30-7 pm, more info here)
May Day march and rally for immigrant and workers' rights
Put together by Portland Contra las Deportaciones, PSU's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization Portland, this rally and march sticks to the neighborhoods. Meeting up in Sewallcrest Park, it invites attendees to stand shoulder to shoulder to "commemorate the many gains made by workers and continue the fight for immigrants and workers of all backgrounds." (Sewallcrest Park, SE 31st and SE Market, Thurs May 1, 5:30 pm, more info)
May Day at Workers Tap and Cafe
Portland’s worker-owned watering hole is hosting its annual celebration, complete with a $1 discount on draft beverages for “union members and people currently organizing their workplace.” Attendees can expect to hear from local union representatives and other speakers at the event, which is slated to take place from 7 pm until “late” (the bar closes at midnight). (Workers Tap, 101 SE 12th, Thurs May 1, 7 pm-late)
Environmental Justice May Day screening
As part of the Hollywood Theatre's ongoing Portland EcoFilm Festival, the cinema is screening a 2024 environmental justice film Our Movement Starts Here, along with a short ADIDAS Owns the Reality. The short captures a Yes Men prank runway show at the 2023 Berlin Fashion Week, which was an attempt to shame the sportswear company for poor conditions in its garment factories. Our Movement Starts Here tells the history of a majority Black community, in 1980s North Carolina, who organized around preventing toxic soil from being dumped in their county; their story is considered a formative cornerstone of the global environmental justice movement. The films' directors appear as special guests for community conversation. (Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, Thurs May 1, 7:30 pm, $12, tickets here)
Saturday, May 3
Troublemakers School
Put together by the Pacific Northwest Labor Notes Organizing Committee, and sponsored by a bunch of local union chapters, Troublemakers School is a day-long mini-conference, offering workshops on topics, like Deportation Defense for Unions, How to Beat a Bully Boss, and even the fundamental Organizing a Union in Your Workplace. (McDaniel High School 735 NE 82nd, Sat May 3, 9 am-4 pm, more info here, $10 / no one turned away for lack of funds.)
"Hands Off" rally and march for workers
This looks to be the big weekend march that everyone will attend—expect "Hands Off" numbers, so public transit / a bicycle is your friend. Come out because you can't stand Trump and Musk, care about labor rights, and want to amplify immigrant voices. The rally kicks off at noon, south of the Hawthorne Bridge, and a march is planned for 1 pm. Organizers encourage attendees to bring something to contribute to a concurrent mutual aid drive (shelf-stable food, pet food, new socks or underwear, and other items). They also remind attendees that "you do not need to register to attend a protest. Please factor in your immigration status and other possible concerns before signing up." (Waterfront Park, south of the Hawthorne Bridge, 1403 S Harbor Way, Sat May 3, rally at noon, march at 1 pm, more info here and here)
Mutual Liberation Forum
What May Day would be complete without a public forum? Hosted by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, this forum's title of "The People vs. the Billionaire Agenda" will strike a chord with many, and a focus on lessons learned from 2006 immigrants rights protests sounds interesting as hell. Hosted by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. (Portland Liberation Center, 6529 NE Sandy, Sat May 3, 5:30 pm, more info here)
