by Niko J-F

Why You Should Join Us For International Workers’ Day in 2026

May Day Rally Friday, May 1 at Public Square, 4pm

As capitalism developed in the U.S.A, workers were put in grueling industrial conditions, and organized into unions to try to change them. By the late 1800s, workers were organizing to demand an 8 hour work day, facing violent repression from their bosses and the government. In May 1884, at Haymarket Square in Chicago, one particularly violent act of repression shocked the world. The struggle of these workers, and all workers across the world, has since then been celebrated on May 1st as International Workers’ Day.

By the early 1900s, workers across the world were growing in their organization and political consciousness. In the U.S.A., the Socialist Party was the largest political organization advocating for the working class, reaching over 110,000 members at its peak, and drawing over 900,000 votes in the 1912 election. In Cleveland, the Socialist Party grew dramatically throughout the 1910s. They consistently advocated for more worker organization in labor unions and against state repression, war and imperialism.

The Socialist Party in Cleveland regularly celebrated May Day, with the largest such celebration in 1919. Over 30,000 workers marched through the streets, including many in the International Workers of the World, and the American Federation of Labor. Their celebration was met with violent repression. Several workers were killed, over 100 were arrested and injured, and the Socialist Party headquarters were ransacked. In Cleveland and throughout the country, this reaction would become commonplace as the Socialist Party and the working class became increasingly organized, and strongly advocated against the U.S.A’s imperialism and wars abroad.

In 2026, we continue to organize around May Day to honor the histories of those that came before us, and continue their struggle for a better world. Today, we see our government increase its violent repression, including subjugation of immigrants and trans people in the U.S.A, genocide in Palestine, and imperalist aggression from Venezuela to Iran. To stop this oppression, and the everyday exploitation of capitalism, workers must be organized. This May Day is just one action to organize around, demonstrating our unity, calling for ICE out, an end for War, and worker power!

Solidarity, forever!

Link to more May Day Photos: https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/28

The post Why May Day? appeared first on Democratic Socialists of America.

Recommend Joe Gerard for Congress OH-03

In Ohio’s heavily gerrymandered congressional map OH-03 should be a seat that represents the district’s strong leftward tilt but it is instead represented by Joyce Beatty, a donor captured Democrat, funder of Israel, and champion of deregulation. She is being challenged by Joe Gerard. In meeting with Joe our chapter found we are aligned on opposing and abolishing ICE, stopping wars abroad, and championing labor rights. While our chapter is generally skeptical of self funded campaigns, Joe’s challenge to big donor’s power over elections is welcome. Though we tend not to offer full endorsements to non-socialist and non-member candidates, the recommendation here is clear: Joe would be a substantial improvement in representation for Central Ohio’s working class in the US House of Representatives.

Recommend YES on Issue 5

Issue 5 is a move to amend the Columbus City Charter with The Community Crisis Response Amendment. The amendment creates a system to provide non-police based emergency response. This would provide an alternative to frequently violent and potentially escalatory police responses to non-violent crises. Additionally this would be done without adding additional funding for the police. The amendment is supported by a wide range of local organizers, labor, and progressive organizations. A vote of YES would be recommended as any move away from the existing violent and militarized policing status-quo is a good move.

Does DSA have a supporter ceiling? A discussion of how large DSA could grow in the United States.

The post How High is the Sky? appeared first on Democratic Left.