Demonstrators march to the White House during a May Day protest in Washington, D.C., on May 1, 2025. Jose Luis Magana/AP
May Day demonstrations are expected to draw crowds nationwide on Friday as organizers call for a boycott of work, school and shopping to protest the Trump administration’s policies and what activists describe as a billionaire takeover of government.
The “May Day Strong” events, planned from Boston to San Francisco, mark International Labor Day and follow anti-Trump protests held under the “No Kings” banner that organizers say have attracted millions. Unlike the U.S. Labor Day in September, May 1 has long been a day of protest dating to the 19th-century fight for an eight-hour workday, a movement that led to labor legislation such as the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938 and the 40-hour workweek by 1940.
The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union with about 3 million members, is a lead organizer. NEA President Becky Pringle said this year’s message is to prioritize workers over billionaires, noting bus drivers, teachers and nurses who feel the effects of policies that shift resources away from public services like education.
Organizers say more than 500 labor unions, student groups and community organizations will participate. The Sunrise Movement, a student group advocating a Green New Deal, said it expected more than 100,000 students to miss school in what it called a strike.
In North Carolina, where per-pupil spending and teacher pay rank near the bottom nationally, about 20 public school districts planned to close because of staff absences. Educators and school workers — including bus drivers, cafeteria staff and custodians — planned to rally in Raleigh to press the state legislature for increased education funding. In Charlotte, the school board voted to close schools on May 1 anticipating widespread absenteeism. A school district spokesperson said they want teachers to be able to live in the communities they serve and continue teaching.
Bryan Proffitt, vice president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, said the rally continues the “Kids Over Corporations” campaign and seeks more investment in public schools, an end to corporate tax cuts, restoration of democracy and expanded union rights. Some officials disagreed: North Carolina State Sen. Amy Galey said closing schools for a day will not benefit students given the limited instructional days remaining.
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Chicago Teachers Union, called for the ultra-rich to pay their fair share, saying failure to tax the wealthy leaves schools without teachers, libraries without books and communities struggling to maintain services.
May Day events are also planned in Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., Albuquerque and Portland, Ore., among other cities.
In his first term, President Trump designated May 1 as “Loyalty Day,” following a tradition of presidents marking the date for patriotic observance. The White House issued a statement saying the administration remains committed to American workers — citing renegotiated trade deals, manufacturing investments, overtime tax cuts and border security — and that President Trump will continue to support workers.