'˜Poverty wages has become the norm for far too many'

The DTUC rally will begin at 1.30pm in Guildhall Square and the march will depart at 2pm.

The socialist movement established May Day in the 1890s following the victorious all-out strike in Chicago for the eight hour day.

A spokesperson for People Before Profit in Derry said that while several organisations work tirelessly for the ‘business community’, the “onslaught against trades unions, the public sector and public services continues”.

“Poverty wages, foodbanks, fuel poverty, benefit cuts and lack of access to housing has become the norm for far too many of all backgrounds and communities here in Derry,” he said.

“Nationalist and Unionist parties pay regular lip service to deprivation in Derry but their Stormont policies over the 20 years since the GFA allowed for the destruction of the health service and continued on with the historic neglect of the North West.

“People power movements in the past delivered living wages, public services and empowered working class communities. 1968 in Derry is one powerful example. To address out of control inequality today, we need a return to the type of trade unionism espoused by Jim Larkin and James Connolly, two of Ireland’s great socialist labour leaders. Both now receive official homage but were opposed by the political establishment and moderates in their day.

“People Before Profit will continue to work to bring our divided working class communities together for a new Civil Rights movement North and South to rid the entire country of economic deprivation and to win rights and justice for all,” the spokesperson added.