Philadelphians march on May Day for better labor protections and more taxes on billionaires
The "Workers Over Billionaires" demonstration promoted labor unions and progressive agendas.
Hundreds of people at Philadelphia City Hall participated late Friday afternoon in a “Workers Over Billionaires” May Day rally and march through Center City, celebrating labor unions and promoting progressive agendas.
Around 4:30 p.m., a large crowd gathered in front of the towering gates of City Hall. People dressed as Gritty, Soviet-era communist rebels in berets, President Donald Trump in a tutu, and more cheered as others held signs scrawled with anti-billionaire sentiments.
Some streets around City Hall were closed, causing an evening rush-hour snarl for motorists and bus riders.
Similar demonstrations were held across the country.
One man rolled a wagon through the crowd playing the Doobie Brothers’ “Takin’ It to the Streets.” Another wore a sequined American flag top hat and vest and carried an American flag in his right hand and a cardboard sign reading “Impeach, Imprison, Inspire, Democracy” in his left hand.
Signs ranged from messages about ICE and immigration issues to labor to the Middle East to others mocking Trump, characterizing him as greedy and noting his affiliation with the late Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious sex offender. One sign depicted an eagle pooping on Trump’s head with the phrase “Go, Birds” across the top.
“We’re shutting down these streets and we’re going to make a hell of a lot of noise out there,” said Daniel P. Bauder, president of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO. “Solidarity forever.”
The marchers stepped off just after 5:30 p.m. as Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” blared from speakers. The rallygoers made their way into the street with a trio of marching band drummers in tow.
On Friday morning, union leaders representing city teachers, hospitality workers, security personnel, and more gathered in front of Jefferson Tower on Market Street to call for better wages, protections, and public services in honor of May Day, also known around the world as International Workers’ Day.
The group laid out a number of requests for city, state, and federal officials, including more funding for public education, that all city development be undertaken by union labor, and higher minimum wages.
The leaders from unions including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, American Association of University Professors and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees spoke about how their workers don’t make enough money to support their families while the wealthy who run the businesses and government entities they work for seem to continue getting richer.
“Everything we need is already here but every day it is stolen from a system that prioritizes profits over people,” said April Giggetts, president of AFSCME District Council 47.
“While they fly around in their private jets, we can hardly afford gas. While they start wars, we struggle to receive basic healthcare,” Giggetts said.
Partway through the news conference, during which union leaders enumerated the ways in which tech and tech leaders were working against the ability of the working class to flourish, an Uber Eats delivery robot slowly navigated its way through the center of the makeshift staging area on Market Street.
“Here comes somebody to steal somebody’s job,” said Bauder, the Philadelphia AFL-CIO president, not shying away, looking the robot directly in its pixilated eyes as it rolled past.
