Mayday in Vienna with the participation of Slovak and Austrian unions of the IWA/AIT

04/05/2022

Usually, we try to commemorate May Day in a practical way. Last year on this day we published a questionnaire with the aim to get in touch with people around Slovakia and we also participated in the preparation of the May Day special edition of Burič magazine. This year we accepted invitation of Wiener ArbeiterInnen-Syndikat (WAS) for an picnic and participation in the Mayday demonstration.

Friendly meetings with Austrian section of the International Workers` Association are always stimulating. The WAS has been in a similar situation to our union for a long time and in recent years has been able to grow and win workplace conflicts. Members of WAS shared with us information on their forthcoming and ongoing conflicts and the new approaches they have arrived at as a result of previous conflicts. We also participated together in the Mayday march through Vienna organized by local anti-fascist and anti-authoritarian collectives.

Last year, police attacked the crowd and beat up hundreds of people sitting on the lawn after the event, so it was uncertain what would happen now. Although the police presence was massive and supplemented by the constant presence of a police helicopter, the demonstration was eventually a pleasant event. Music from soundsystems livened things up as well flares or even a makeover of the police station`s facade. The event was attended by more than 2500 people making it the biggest antiauthoritarian Mayday demonstration in Vienna in last two decades.

For anarcho-syndicalists, May Day is a symbol of the workers` struggle for shorter working hours and for their interests in general. We are happy that we could spend it this year with WAS in nice atmosphere and exchange practical experiences from our daily activities.

Zväz Priama akcia