Hundreds of labor groups across the United States organized an economic blackout on Friday, calling for “no school, no work, no shopping” on International Workers’ Day. The May Day Strong coalition says millions of workers, students and families joined over 5,000 actions on May 1. Here in New York, protesters took to the streets demanding union rights, higher wages, progressive taxation, and the protection of immigrant rights. Joining the protests was Zohran Mamdani, who became the first New York City mayor to address a May Day rally since Fiorello La Guardia almost a century ago. This is Justin Lashley-Maloney, an overnight concierge and a member of SEIU Local 32BJ.

Justin Lashley-Maloney: “We just won our contract last month, the residential contract, and it’s proof that solidarity is power. So, today, we’re out with our immigrant family, because most of our union, personally, most of our union of 32BJ, we’re a majority immigrants. So we’re here to support them and tell the world that we’re not going to take the abuse from ICE, and all workers today, on May Day, standing together.”`