May 1 is not just another day on the calendar. May 1 is the historical march of labor, the cry of hard work, and the loudest voice in the quest for justice. It is the international day of unity, struggle, and solidarity for the working class. Today, workers across the globe take to the streets with the same demand: a life of dignity, fair distribution, and a free future.
In the region where we live, however, May 1 is not just a celebration but also a day of reckoning. This is because workers and laborers in Turkey are struggling to survive under increasingly harsh conditions with each passing day. Rising living costs, deepening poverty, precarious working conditions, and an unfair distribution of income are suffocating the working class. While those who produce are becoming poorer, the rentier system continues to grow.
Yet it is the working class—working day and night in factories, mines, fields, and offices—that creates all of this country’s wealth. Workers are not only the economic backbone of this country but also the bearers of its democratic culture. Unfortunately, however, this contribution is not being adequately recognized, and workers are unable to share in the prosperity they deserve.
Today, the working class in Turkey is under pressure not only economically but also politically and socially. Those who stand up for their rights are being criminalized, union struggles are being blocked, and dissenters are being silenced. This situation once again highlights just how vital the labor movement is.
It is precisely at this point that the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the left-social democratic tradition bear a great historical responsibility. The CHP is a party rooted in populism and the labor movement. However, these values must be put into practice with conviction, not merely in rhetoric. Standing with the working class is not achieved merely by speaking from a podium, but by being present on the ground, in resistance, on the picket line, and in the streets.
The situation is similar for left-wing socialist organizations. A fragmented structure, ideological debates, and internal conflicts must not take precedence over the workers’ struggle. What is needed today is to set aside our differences and build a strong, united front centered on the labor movement. Because just as capital unites, labor cannot win without uniting.
History has shown us this time and again. We all witnessed the immense power that emerged when workers united—on May 1, 1977, in Taksim; during the workers’ resistance of June 15–16; and in the Zonguldak marches. Today, we need the same determination and the same solidarity.
One of the most recent and striking examples of this struggle is the group of miners in Ankara who are fighting for their rights. For days, even weeks, these miners have been standing their ground to receive the wages they’ve earned through their hard work; they are the conscience of this country. By refusing to back down in the face of pressure, threats, and being ignored, these workers are actually teaching us all a lesson: Rights aren’t given—they’re taken.
Because the only way out of this broken system is the organized power of labor. Without solidarity, without struggle, and without unity, there can be neither justice nor freedom.
Today is May 1…
Today is the day to take to the streets, to protest, and to speak out.
Today is the day of those who do not shut up, those who do not submit, those who resist.
Despite all the oppression, inequality, and anti-democratic practices, the working class will continue its historic march. The working people of this country have the power to give the response they deserve, both at the ballot box and in the streets.
I believe that in the first general election, this system will change, and labor will receive the recognition it deserves. Because the future of this country is being shaped not in palaces, but in factories, workshops, and mines.
With these sentiments, I extend my greetings to all workers—especially the working class—on May 1, the International Workers’ Day of Unity and Solidarity.
Long live May Day!
Long live the working class!
Long live our organized struggle