International Workers’ Day

Never in history have our rights been given to us. Our rights have been demanded. They have been fought for. People have died for them. In our country, far more people have died for the right to a union than to vote. The history of the labour struggle has never been one that has been won without struggle.

I don’t know about you, but I love labour holidays. A day to reflect on the people who have come before us, who have fought for the better treatment of themselves and those who came after. A day to remember the losses, the struggles, and the triumphs that have paved the way for us.

I struggle a lot with the feeling that this is all hopeless. The sensation that we’re a cog in a machine, bound to get crushed. People have fought and struggled for decades, centuries, and we’re still fighting. A value outside of paid labour, a secure life, a future for our families. As freelancers, I know that these feelings run through almost every decision we make. I know that we are the canaries in the coal mine, warning the other workers of what’s to come.

Automation. Large monopolies. Uncertain pay.

Precarious work.

It is easy to feel lost, and frustrated, and alone. Most of us work on our own, after all, or in small groups. Most of us are isolated, and deal with problems on our own. We’re problem solvers after all, right? As Fiverr would say, we’re the doers. Killing ourselves as we struggle to make a life worth living.

And that is why I joined a union. That is why I joined a forum of other writers who deal with the same problems I do. That is why I put a lot of effort into connecting with people in my community, and why I continue to volunteer with both the CFU and other organizations that matter to me. That is why I surround myself with activists and people with a fire and a desire to see the world become a better place.

Because it is the bosses who want us to feel isolated and powerless. It is the capitalist system that is seeking to make us feel as if we are nobody.

And workers have been made to feel like this before. That their lives, that their security, that their needs do not matter.

Never in history have our rights been given to us. Our rights have been demanded. They have been fought for. People have died for them. In our country, far more people have died for the right to a union than to vote. The history of the labour struggle has never been one that has been won without struggle.

We have many fights ahead of us, just as our predecessors have. And like them, there will be times where things feel bleak. Hopeless.

In 1886, hundreds of thousands of workers protested and went on strike for an 8 hour work day, amid a targeted campaign of anti-union and anti-worker propaganda and violence. Eight workers were murdered by police in the days following, leading to the Haymarket Affair. We are still fighting those same battles. As freelancers, we might not always have the luxury of having eight hours a day with no reduction in pay. We might not always have the power of a strike behind us.

But back then, and now, and forever, there will be power in the union. There will be power in solidarity. The power will always be in the worker’s hands.

Eventually, we will be the ones that workers tell stories about. The freelancers who rode the tide of automation, of precarious work, and who achieved amazing things.

So on this May Day, I want to thank you for recognizing how important unions and solidarity is to people in our situation. I want to especially acknowledge the additional struggles that marginalized populations feel, and the disproportionate amount of unpaid work that we expect women to do. I want to take a moment to reflect on those in the adult industry who are further isolated and harmed by SESTA / FOSTA, a U.S. law that impacts people and freelancers internationally.

Wishing you incredible solidarity and support on this International Workers’ Day. I will take a moment to remind you that the CFU can offer supports around contracts, including developing a solid contract for you, and we are able to help with contract mediation and non-payment disputes. If you need solidarity, there is power in our union.

In solidarity,

Michelle Keep

Atlantic Regional Director, CFU