On International Workers’ Day, DiEM25 calls for fair wages, democratic workplaces, and a Europe that puts people before profit

On May 1, we honour the global struggle for dignity, justice, and workers’ rights. For DiEM25, International Workers’ Day is not a tradition of the past but a powerful reminder of the need for collective action – and of the urgent demand for change, especially today.

A history of struggle – including in the Netherlands

May 1 originated in the international fight for the eight-hour workday, most famously marked by the bloody Haymarket Affair in Chicago in 1886. The Netherlands has a rich May Day tradition as well. In 1890, International Workers’ Day was celebrated for the first time in the country, led by Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis and the Social Democratic League. What began as a demonstration of solidarity became an annual day of action, hope, and political awareness.

Yet May 1 has never been recognised as an official holiday in the Netherlands – a reflection of the state’s longstanding reluctance to acknowledge workers’ struggles. Even today, the Netherlands remains one of the few European countries where May Day is not a public holiday.

The modern workers’ struggle

The hard-won gains of the 20th century – the five-day workweek, the minimum wage, social protections – are once again under threat. Flexibilisation, outsourcing, and platform capitalism have led to growing precarity, especially for young people, migrants, and women. While corporate profits soar, wages stagnate. Union organising is discouraged. Social safety nets are being dismantled.

In the Netherlands, we see a decline in permanent contracts and growing pressure on workers’ purchasing power. Meanwhile, public services are being hollowed out, and basic economic security is treated as a luxury. Rising inequality and the climate crisis expose an economic system that is failing both people and the planet.

DiEM25’s vision: A social and democratic Europe

DiEM25 envisions a radically different Europe: one that is social, sustainable, and democratic. In this Europe, work is not treated as a cost to be minimised but as the foundation of human dignity.

May 1 belongs to us – so does the future

May 1 is not a relic of the past, but a day of international solidarity and renewed resistance. It is a day not only to look back, but to look forward. As long as inequality, exploitation, and insecurity exist, Workers’ Day remains deeply relevant.

We call for:

• A European and national living wage
• Full rights and protections for all workers, including freelancers, migrant workers, and gig workers
• A shorter working week with full pay, to promote well-being and sustainability
• Democratisation of the economy, with worker participation and cooperative ownership
• A fair tax system, where the wealthy and multinational corporations pay their share

As DiEM25, we demand that our governments recognise Workers’ Day as a public holiday. We have laboured, we have toiled, and we have fought for this day. While we celebrate obsolete monarchs, our governments continue to deny workers the recognition they deserve as the real producers of value in our economies.

DiEM25 calls on you to reclaim this day. Gather, organise, and help build a Europe rooted in dignity, justice, and true democracy.

The struggle is not over – but the future is ours.
Carpe DiEM!

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