On this May 1st — International Workers' Day — we raise our voices not only in celebration, but in defiance. Today is a day meant to honor the dignity of labor, the sweat of the worker, the backbone of every society. Yet in far too many corners of the world, laborers remain exploited, silenced, and shackled — not just by poverty, but by authoritarian regimes that treat workers as tools to be used, not human beings to be respected.
Nowhere is this more tragically evident than in the People's Republic of China, where for more than a decade, the government under Xi Jinping has systematically dismantled labor protections, crushed independent labor movements, and diverted national resources away from public welfare to fuel military expansion and foreign influence. As police budgets swell and surveillance tightens, millions of Chinese workers — the true builders of China's rise — struggle without adequate healthcare, pensions, or legal recourse when mistreated.
A just society prioritizes the well-being of its people. It invests in their health, education, housing, and security. It does not imprison workers for organizing, nor does it spend billions on global vanity projects while leaving its own citizens to suffer in silence during natural disasters or pandemics. True strength lies in compassion, not control. True leadership serves the people — not demands their obedience.
On this day, we call on the international community to stand in solidarity with all workers living under oppressive regimes. Let the free world extend not just words, but hands — through support, protection, and policy — to those who fight for the simple right to live and work with dignity. Let nations that believe in liberty unite to hold authoritarian powers accountable for their violations of human rights, labor rights, and the very essence of human dignity.
We salute the workers everywhere — in fields and factories, hospitals and classrooms, mines and machines. May their voices be heard. May their struggles be recognized. May their freedom be realized.
To the workers of the world: this day belongs to you. May justice follow.
