NUJ Belfast and District Branch: Robin Wilson, Bob Miller (Chair) and Joe Mitchell await the start of the parade Photo: © Michael Fisher

MARCHING FOR A BETTER AND FAIRER WAY – May Day

March for People Jobs and Services.
March for Peace, Progress and Equality.
March for a Better, Fairer Way.

The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is pleased to announce the details of its annual May Parade. The annual parade to celebrate workers’ struggle around the world is being held today, Saturday May 2nd, departing at 12:00 noon from Art College Square in Donegall Street, parading around the centre of Belfast and returning to Donegall St.

Participants in the parade are being asked to assemble at 11:30am at Art College Square (UU Belfast), where the Belfast Lord Mayor Arder Carson will welcome guests and participants, followed by short speeches by trade union leaders, Mick Whelan (General Secretary ASLEF) and Larry Broderick (General Secretary, IBOA – the Finance Union).

The Parade will march off from Donegall St/Academy St at 12:00, passing Royal Avenue, Belfast City Hall and returning to Donegall Street via High St. The Belfast May Day parade is still the largest such workers’ event on the island of Ireland, regularly attracting 5-10,000 marchers from every trade union, as well as myriad campaigning and community organisations. It is uniquely multi-cultural, especially for Northern Ireland, although it always has a political message.

In L’Derry, the annual May Day parade will gather at 1pm in Guildhall Square. March off is at 1:20pm, and will be led by the Jay Dee Jazz Band, with some speeches at the end of the march, back at Guildhall Square.

This year’s message is resistance to the austerity programme of the outgoing Westminster government, and the detemination of the trade union movement to ensure that the failed experiment in heaping the cuts and the blame on working people and the most vulnerable will not be supported by any of the eighteen MPs to be elected next Thursday by the people of Northern Ireland.

For more details, download the full programme from the Congress website or pick up a copy of the leaflet from bars, cafes and trade union offices around the city. Copies of the brochure are also available from the ICTU office, Carlin House, 4-6 Donegall Street Place (Behind the John Hewitt Bar).