TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Local labor, immigrant‑rights and community groups will converge across Tucson on May 1 for International Workers’ Day — and the 20th anniversary of A Day Without an Immigrant — joining a national May Day Strong / Workers Over Billionaires call for a one‑day shutdown.
Organizers say the national campaign — backed by roughly 400 organizations — is asking people to hit pause on work, school and shopping to dramatize demands for economic justice, immigrant protections and expanded democracy. Locally, the day is being coordinated by Defend Tucson / Tucson Se Defiende (DTTSD), a cross‑sector coalition of labor, faith groups, mutual aid networks, students, immigrant advocates, small business owners, environmentalists, veterans, human‑rights and pro‑democracy organizations.
I spoke with local organizer Bennett Burke of Defend Tucson, who says, “We need people power, and we need the economic power to oppose the Trump regime and all of its illegal acts. All of the things that are going wrong - the only thing we know that has ever stopped this type of tyrant is non-violent people power, and it takes numbers, and it takes passion - so we hope as many people that hear us will come out on May Day."
Organizers stress that these events are intended to be nonviolent and law-abiding. May Day has long been a global day of labor solidarity and protest dating to 19th‑century labor struggles. This year’s activities in Tucson blend neighborhood marches, a campus rally and a central community demonstration to spotlight economic inequality, immigrant rights and democracy issues that organizers say are central to working communities.
Organizers say there are three events scheduled at different locations around town.
May Day’s "tax the rich" demand calls for restructuring the tax system to prioritize working families over billionaire fortunes, specifically targeting the wealthy to fund public services like schools, healthcare, and housing. It is a call for economic justice aimed at reversing the "violent billionaire takeover" of the country.
The national May Day Strong platform emphasizes a suite of demands, including taxing the rich so “our families, not their fortunes, come first”; removing ICE and rolling back private enforcement; rejecting private armies serving unchecked federal power; and expanding democracy while defending free and fair elections. Local demands and additional event details are listed on the coalition’s flyers and Mobilize pages.
