Political parties and trade unions celebrated May Day on a grand scale in the city on Saturday. Activists of Left parties unfurled red flags at various centres in the city. The main centres and junctions in the city were painted red as the trade unions hung buntings and flags to mark May Day. The rallies and flag hoisting were a common sight. The slogans --Long live socialism, unite labourers, Long live May Day—rented the air as the workers raised the slogans at the top of their voice. The trade unions took out processions and resolved to emulate the martyrs of Chicago.
Celebrating the International Labour Day (May Day), workers and labourers took to the streets raising slogans and voicing their demands for securing their rights and privileges. The speakers stated that May Day was being celebrated to the achievements of labour in improving the quality of workers' lives, especially the eight-hour workday. But, unfortunately, the present governments were aimed at burying the rights and protection of the working class. The new economic policies were aimed at reducing job security and other benefits of employees, they felt and called upon the working class to launch a fight against suppressive policies. They demanded that minimum wages act be implemented in letter and spirit and wages of workers should be increased commensurate with the increase in prices of essential consumer goods. CPI city secretary K. Subba Raju, CPI(M) district secretary V. Uma Maheswara Rao, and others hoisted respective party flags at their party offices and main centres in the city. The activists of Satyanarayanapuram, One Town, Patamata, Centre, Moghalrajpuram zones of CPI(M) hoisted the flags. Criticising the labour policies of the government, they termed them anti-labour and working class. They vowed to fight against ‘anti-labour' policies pursued by the government.
