There is more to May Day than a trip around the maypole. Today is International Worker’s Day, when we remember, and celebrate, battles fought and won by the American labor movement.

On the 2nd of November in 1909, during what became known as the “Uprising of the 20,000,” female garment workers went on strike in New York. Many were arrested and a judge told those arrested: “You are on strike against God.”

Wow…who’d have guessed?

There’s nothing unpatriotic about the union movement; it’s as American as apple pie.  Boston carpenters walked off the job in April of 1825 in the interest of a 10-hour workday. Ten years later, children working in the silk mills in Patterson, New Jersey went on strike. Of course they had an outrageous demand: A six-day workweek of eleven hour days.

Sweatshops, eleven-hour days, inadequate wages and wretched or dangerous working conditions are largely a thing of the past. The result is we tend not to notice or care about Capitalism’s continuous attack on the power and even the existence of the union movement. This may not be a good thing.

A union is the average hourly worker’s only defense against the economic power of a system that always tries to buy raw materials (that’s you, oh my brothers and sisters) at the lowest possible price. It’s not dumb, if you’re an hourly wage person, to remember you’re just so much raw material to that system.

May Day Events Today:

9:00 Annual Tucson May 1st Coalition March for Immigrant and Workers Rights, from Greyhound Park Parking lot to Armory Park for a Noon rally with speakers, entertainment and info booths.

Afterwards, join Occupy Tucson at Armory Park for extended fun, entertainment, potluck, and other activities, well into the evening.

Star reader David W Gallagher recently commented in the Letters to The Editor on the brouhaha about Ann Romney’s job status. He concluded:

“I find it interesting that when a poor woman seeks welfare and other aid to assist her in the raising of her children; she is described as not working and in need of a job. When a fortunate woman stays at home to raise her children, she is described as working hard.”

Right on, Mr. Gallagher.

Letter here.

You don’t have to sleep in the park or risk getting arrested to show your support. A number of current polls from across the nation indicate that Americans do in fact understand and support the movement.

There’s a simple way you can show your support and  and spend a pleasant hour or two in the park. If you work downtown, take a bag lunch and visit Armory Park. By swelling the numbers in the park you demonstrate that support is deeper and broader than just the folks camping there.

This weekend organize a group of your neighbors and pay a visit, spend some time and chat with folks. (Seating is sometimes tough if you don’t sit on the ground comfortably, so bring a lightweight chair.)

I doubt there are many readers of The Data Port who remember that once before in our history there was an occupation by citizens protesting the failure of their government to protect their interests. It was put down as ruthlessly as last night’s attack on Occupy Oakland.

You might be interested in this video.