Workers from Nova Scotia marked this year’s May Day in Halifax at the biggest May Day event in recent memory.

“This is not a day of protest, it is a day of celebration,” Dave Shaw, Atlantic Regional Organizer from the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the event's MC, told a crowd of about 200 people gathered at Victoria Park. He noted that the event was at least 5 times larger than the previous year.

The rally included speakers from several unions including the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Speakers spoke on an array of issues impacting workers, ranging from cuts to public sector jobs, and the need for increases to the Canada Pension Plan, to the Africville settlement and the implications of the Canada-Columbia Free Trade Agreement currently being negotiated.

This was the fourth annual May Day celebration organised by the Halifax May Day Committee. According to Tony Seed, co-chair of the Halifax May Day Committee, the committee includes trade unionists, unorganized workers, and students.

“[May Day 2010] was the largest yet and included the broadest participation, including the largest participation of workers.” said Seed after the rally and march. “We had the participation of some major unions who are resisting the attack of the Harper and Dexter governments and on public sector workers.”

Colleen Hodder spoke on behalf of one such union: the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC). She spoke about the significant levels of privatization currently being undertaken by the Harper government, and the resulting job losses.

“We will not allow the Harper government to punish workers for a crisis that we are not to blame for,” said Hodder, who is the Alternate to Regional Executive Vice-President for the PSAC - Atlantic Region. Hodder and other speakers highlighted the government’s indications that it may sell off Canada Post.

“We’re asking to keep our jobs. That’s all we’re asking,” said Mike Moeller, who spoke on behalf of the Union of Postal Communications Employees Atlantic, a component union of PSAC that represents some post office workers.

More than just speaking about job losses and trade issues, the programming included connections to local struggles. Postal worker and local activist Denise Allen spoke on issues facing former residents of Africville.

“’Sorry for your loss’ is not an apology, it’s condolences,” said Allen on the topic of the recent Africville apology from Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly. “We didn’t lose it, it was destroyed by racism. It was destroyed by classism.”

Following the rally at Victoria Park, protesters march down Spring Garden Road to Grand Parade. The march and rally were followed by a forum at the Mi’maq Native Friendship Centre that included a performance from  spoken word artist El Jones and speeches from several workers.

While marchers were able to take the street on Spring Garden Road, something that police blocked anti-G8 protesters from doing last weekend, there was a significant police presence at the demonstration.

 “I hope the police will have a little more restraint than last week, beating on innocent women and protesters,” said Jeff Callahan from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) at Victoria Park, in reference to the Monday arrest of CUPW employee Toni Macaphee.

Prior to the rally, someone had also scrawled “No cops in our demo” on an electrical box in Victoria Park.

During the march there were three arrests. Two arrests involved an overturned mailbox, but no charges were laid. The third arrest resulted in a ticket for a cycling infraction.

Following the arrests, there was a resolution passed by those present entitled the  Halifax Declaration Against the Criminalization of Dissent and in Defence of the Rights of All.

River Smith, a participant in the day’s events, disagreed with the police’s actions during the day.

“I feel good about the fact that people came out and got their voices heard,” said Smith, “but I don’t feel good about people getting arrested for nothing.”

 Overall, organizers and attendees seem hopeful that May Day will continue to grow.

Kyle, Buott President of the Halifax-Dartmouth District Labour Council, who endorsed the day’s event, hopes to see an increased presence from union members in next year’s events.

“We’re hoping to increase the number of locals who are involved in the  event,” he said.

 “This year’s event shows our steadily increasing strength,” said Seed.

For Rosie Oilfoot's photo essay of May Day, click here.