Swansea May Day march  

Ben Golightly and his friend Karen at the rally

Every year, Swansea Trades Council organises a May Day rally to mark International Workers’ Day. In years of major industrial battles, the event has also taken the form of a march.  

As a child, I marched alongside my mam, carrying her University and College Union banner, but this year’s rally, held in the shadow of Swansea Castle, felt especially meaningful. This was because as well as continuing my tradition and celebrating May Day, I was flying a flag, in my own right, as a Prospect member.   

May Day offers communities across Swansea a chance to come together, share their struggles and stand united in the best traditions of the trade union movement. 

The sense of solidarity is reflected in the role of Swansea Trades Council, which brings together union branches from across the city to organise collective action and represent the wider trade union movement locally. True to that tradition, this year’s rally went beyond union voices, with campaigners from environmental, anti‑racist and disability rights movements invited to speak, underlining the shared struggles and common causes at the heart of May Day. 

So I leave you with this: An injury to one is an injury to all – any harm, exploitation or unfair treatment faced by a single worker is a threat to all working people. 

Solidarity,  Ben