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Dita Alangkara / AP
Indonesian workers shout slogans during a rally to mark May Day in Jakarta on May 1, 2012. Thousands of Indonesian workers staged the rally demanding the government raise the minimum wage and reject outsourcing.
The Associated Press reports — May Day moved beyond its roots as an international workers' holiday to a day of international protest Tuesday, with rallies throughout Asia demanding wage increases and marches planned across Europe over government-imposed austerity measures.
Thousands of workers protested in the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan and other Asian nations, with the demand for wage hikes amid soaring oil prices a common theme. They said their take-home pay could not keep up with rising consumer prices, while also calling for lower school fees and expressing a variety of other gripes. Read the full story.
Andrey Smirnov / AFP - Getty Images
A man carries a poster reading "Putin is our President!" during the May Labor Day rally of the Russian Trade Unions and United Russia party in Moscow on May 1, 2012. Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin and outgoing head of state Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday joined over 100,000 people in a Soviet-style mass march through Moscow.
Bullit Marquez / AP
Protesters dance around the burnt effigy of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III during a May Day rally near the Presidential Palace in Manila on May 1, 2012. Thousands of workers marched under a brutal sun in Manila to demand a wage increase amid an onslaught of oil price increases, but the Philippine President rejected a $3 daily pay hike which the workers have been demanding since 1999 and warned may worsen inflation, spark layoffs and turn away foreign investors.
AFP - Getty Images
Bahraini Shiites attend a demonstration celebrating Labor Day in the village of Muqsha'a on April 30, 2012. Many Shiite employees were either dismissed or indefinitely suspended from their jobs in the wake of a brutal crackdown by the Bahrain government.
Dibyangshu Sarkar / AFP - Getty Images
Indian sex workers hold candles and posters as they march in a May Day rally asking for their rights and the recognition of their profession in Kolkata, late on April 30, 2012.
Vincent Thian / AP
Visitors takes picture in front of Tiananmen gate in Beijing, China, on May 1, 2012. Tens of thousands of visitors flock to the area around Tiananmen Square to enjoy a public holiday to mark May Day.
Alexey Druzhinin / AFP - Getty Images
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (2nd L), Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (2nd R), Independent Trade Unions' Chairman Mikhail Shmakov (L) and State Duma deputy Viktor Pinsky (R) toast in a bar after attending a rally in Moscow on May 1, 2012.
Abir Abdullah / EPA
Garment workers attend a rally to mark May Day at Paltan in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 1, 2012. Different workers organizations have arranged programmes inluding a rally, seminars and cultural events as they demand the establishment of workers' rights.
Farooq Khan / EPA
Laborers drilling a mountain to extract rocks inside a stone quarry on May 1, 2012 in Srinagar, Kashmir. Local labor leaders told media their colleagues at many construction sites were denied a May Day public holiday by their employers.
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Like your 8 hour day? Paid overtime? Paid leave? Occupational health and safety? Child labor laws? Minimum wages? Workers compensation? Unemployment compensation? Right to sue over sexual harassment? If you still have them, partially paid health insurance or pensions?
Thank a Union! No politician is going to stand up for workers and employees rights. States are abrogating their agreements right now. Congress is busy undercutting labor rights and protections and trying to kill unions. Without unions, we would still be working in sweatshops for 12 hours a day from the age of 4. Teapublicans want to go back to those good old days. Wake up and smell the teabags.
May Day is portrayed wrongly. Valburg's Dag- Vappu- Walborg is for students, bosses,workers,kids- the first day of May to enjoy outsides- have a ballonn or pompom- drink mead (nonalcoholic)eat akin New Orleans beignets- listen to choirs singing-having a good time- buying the Bee magazine (published once every May 1st)- it has long traditions in Europe- May Day for East Asia was never a holiday -nor do the Yankees know what Wlborga's Fest is all about.
The pic of The Four Russian Dudes toasting is incredible.
The Bar looks like a cafeteria, complete with normal patrons going about their feeding, the food is normal grub, and the beer, I wonder what brand is the beer?
Or, it could be a highly orchestrated photo op.........Ribbit.