MAY DAY celebrations and protests across Australia were held across every state and territory this year, as well as in many regional centres, with reports that the number of workers participating nationally is up.

Trade unions, left-wing and progressive forces are the traditional backbone of May Day actions. Considering most state governments are now run by the Australian Labor Party — only Tasmania has a Liberal (ie conservative) government —  it is a good outcome for the movement.

While May Day is already a public holiday in the Northern Territory and Queensland, other states and centres have adopted the practice of holding May Day events on the weekend before or after May 1.

Two May Day events stand out this year, both in New South Wales, and less than a 90-minute journey apart. They both warrant analysis and recognition.

The Sydney May Day Rally was held on Monday May 1, a change from normal practice that arose from a struggle around the date within the Sydney labour movement. The coalition, called the May 1 Movement, has been led by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) Construction division, along with left activists, organisations, and the Communist Party of Australia.

For several years, CFMEU and MUA have stopped jobs on May 1 to participate in a march. This had led to two separate May Day events being held in Sydney in previous years.

This year, we were able to move the Sydney May Day Committee to adopt May 1 as the official day for May Day in Sydney, a significant development.

Adding to the symbolism of May Day, in Sydney ports were closed and construction sites ground to a halt. CFMEU and MUA were joined by the electricians (ETU) and Plumbers Unions (PPTE) with significant numbers of other unions, along with the state-wide body, Unions NSW, supporting the May 1 event.

Striking workers in Sydney have changed the character of the traditional May Day march. Not only was the march larger, but it was also more militant in its character and demands. New South Wales, under the previous Liberal government, introduced anti-protest laws. The recently elected Labor government has not moved to repeal them.

In a direct challenge to these laws, MUA’s delegation marched without permits, from its office to the main gathering in Belmore Park. The marchers were not challenged despite a significant police presence.

The main march proceeded to Hyde Park, which demonstrators were previously told would be off-limits. Again, there was no challenge to the action, nor could there have been due to the size of the rally.

The anti-protest laws were left in tatters. High on the list of other demands was the removal of all anti-union legislation and outright opposition to war and the Aukus nuclear submarine pact.

Windmills for Wollongong: clean energy, not nuclear war

May Day was given added significance by the decision of the Sydney May Day movement to support the South Coast event being held on Saturday May 6 in Port Kembla, New South Wales, one of Australia’s biggest industrial ports. Port Kembla has been nominated as a site for a future nuclear submarine base.

Port Kembla is a southern suburb of Wollongong, the most densely unionised town in Australia. The announcement of a nuclear base in the area has rocked Wollongong and its Southern Port Kembla residents. There is a clear choice which is either for the area to become a nuclear base, part of the military-industrial complex, or a vibrant centre for renewable energy production, in particular offshore wind energy. The people of Wollongong have clearly chosen the path of renewables, not war.

The Port Kembla May Day march was spectacular. Thousands filled the streets in what could have been the largest-ever demonstration held in the area. A convoy from Sydney travelled down to Port Kembla and supporters from as far afield as Adelaide and Melbourne also attended.

Crowds marched down the streets to the port chanting: “Submarines will kill the poor — no to Aukus, no to war,” and, “One struggle one fight. Workers of the world, unite” among other progressive and anti-war slogans.

The campaign on the South Coast has been in full swing since the Aukus submarine base announcement and the trade union movement and Port Kembla community have been rock solid in opposing the destruction of a possible renewable-energy future, to be replaced with war machines.

These two May Day marches reflect a positive development in the militancy of the working class and broader labour movement.

They are examples for the movement to follow in other locations, especially under Labor Party governments who have continued to support the drive to war and jumped into bed with US and British imperialism.