Is this just a coincidence? I’m the last person to look for Commies under every bed, but I know that if there are still pure-market-driven, Ayn Rand-reading theorists in positions of power in the White House, there can be people equally as idiotically clinging to Stalinism in academia and orgnaized labor.
The first of May has been designated “International Workers’ Day” since the 1880’s, before the formation of actual Communist governments in places like the Soviet Union.
In fact, the May Day workers’ holiday originated in the US in commemoration of the Haymarket riots and general strike during the struggle for eight-hour workday legislation, and was celebrated as Labor Day (the name by which it is still known in most countries) in the US up till the “Red Scares” of the early 20th century.
Yes, many socialist and communist parties (and governments) have tried to promote May Day as being somehow “their” holiday, as part of their contention that they alone really represent the interests of the working people. However, the holiday itself is not specifically socialist or communist (much less Stalinist!), and its history makes it a reasonable choice for a date to focus on immigrant workers.
The US government in the 1950’s officially designated May 1 as “Loyalty Day” and “Law Day” in order to counteract the supposed communist influence of International Workers’ Day, but most other non-communist governments don’t consider it a specifically communist holiday.
As Kimstu says, the link of May 1 to communism in the US is a Cold War artifact. In most of the world (as here in Panama) it is simply “Labor Day,” with pretty much the same connotation as the September holiday of the same name in the US. That will be its significance to most immigrants, including those from Mexico and Latin America, which is why it would have been chosen for protests related to labor issues.
The master speaks about May Day.