How to use this toolkit
This toolkit provides guidance and practical resources to help MTA local leaders make an action plan for May Day that meets your members where they are at.
Looking for key documents/links for planning a May Day action? Here are the links referenced during the All-Member Meeting on April 16:
- What is May Day? Learn about International Workers' Day.
- Resources including the Real Affordability Agenda, the May Day pledge, both created by May Day Strong, as well as lessons, books and films on labor history from the Zinn Education Project, and more.
- Graphics to download and share on social media and an editable flier for your own action.
- What action should my local take? Consider sample emails to members, adaptable slides and an agenda for a 10-minute meeting, a sample plan for #RedforEd button or T-Shirt day, and more.
- Step-by-step guide to planning a walk-in before school with timeline and associated materials.
- May Day events happening across the state (with more to be posted.)
Why Celebrate May Day?
Across Massachusetts, educators are facing urgent challenges, from deepening fiscal crises in our schools to rising health care costs and threats to our communities. May Day is an opportunity for us to stand in solidarity and demand a better future. Educators Over Billionaires!
What is May Day? And why does it matter to public school educators?
Since 1886, May Day has been celebrated as International Workers' Day, a day when workers unite to stand up for a better world in the face of greed, war and attacks on the common good.
In 2026, May Day matters now more than ever.
Our Victories
In Massachusetts, unions have fought to:
- Raise the minimum wage.
- Overhaul the education funding formula. (There is more work to be done!)
- Pass the Fair Share Amendment to raise billions in progressive revenue dedicated to public education and transportation.
- Ensure every public school student receives free meals.
- Eliminate the MCAS graduation requirement.
- And so much more.
But the work isn’t done yet.
As union members, and as educators, we’re standing up with unions across all 50 states by taking action on May Day to stand up for our profession, our students and our communities.
As union members, and as educators, we’re standing up with unions across all 50 states by taking action on May Day to stand up for our profession, our students and our communities.
At the national level, we are fighting for a real affordability agenda that addresses: universal basic needs (e.g. health care, child care), affordable housing and good jobs.
Here in Massachusetts, too many of our schools are in crisis. May Day is an opportunity for our union – and its 117,000 members – to focus pressure on key decision-makers to make demands that:
- Meaningfully address the fiscal crisis - particularly addressing rural aid.
- Reign in runaway health care costs.
- Protect our communities and students from ICE attacks.
May Day is also an opportunity to uplift and center demands in ongoing local fights, because a win in one local is a win for all locals.
Resources
May Day Graphics
Planning for May Day
What Action Should My Local Take?
Low-to-High Options for May Day
Join union siblings across your local in wearing Red for Ed (or your local association T-shirt).
Resources
Join union siblings across your local in wearing a May Day sticker/button in your school as a simple show of labor solidarity at a time when billionaires have tilted the rules against the rest of us.
Resources
Join union siblings across your local in wearing Red for Ed (or your local association shirt) and encourage members to walk in to work together before the start of your contractual work day.
Resources
Organize your colleagues to ask that your district make May 1 a day of teaching and learning in defense of public education. Work with colleagues to plan age-appropriate activities or lessons that reinforce the value of public education, civic engagement and democracy and the labor movement.
Resources
As a local, endorse or share information about local May Day actions happening in your community or region. Consider organizing a member contingent by encouraging members to wear your local association T-shirt and planning a meeting location.
Resources
Step-by-Step Guide: May Day Walk-in
How-to & Resources
- Send an Email to Your Membership
- Hold Ten-Minute Meetings
Send a Email Reminding Your Members of the May 1 Walk-in
- Distribute Signs to Worksites
- Staff Meeting Reminders/Membership Email Reminder
- Send a Text Reminder
Participate
A Day of Collective Action
In addition to local actions across the state, bigger actions are scheduled in Cambridge and Holyoke with more to come. Join MTA members, union and community suppporters in saying: WORKERS OVER BILLIONAIRES!
Cambridge
WHAT: May Day March
WHEN: 4 p.m., Friday, May 1
WHERE: Kendall Square, 355 Main Street, Cambridge, MA
Worcester
WHAT: May Day Rally
WHEN: 4-6 p.m., Friday, May 1
WHERE: Worcester City Hall
Holyoke
WHAT: May Day March
WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Friday, May 1
WHERE: Heritage State Park, Holyoke
- Solidarity with Holyoke educators
- ICE out of our communities
- Homes for All
Attleboro
WHAT: Attleboro Education Association members to hold walk-ins
WHEN: Beginning at 6:25 a.m., Friday, May 1
WHERE: Attleboro High School, middle and elementary schools
Suggested Further Reading
Professional Learning
