In spite of pouring rain, thousands of workers and trade unionists came out on the streets of Belfast for the annual May Day March, one of the biggest in recent years. In 2024, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) had themed the March around the celebration of essential workers and a demand to end the cost-of-living crisis.<\/p>\n
UNI Europa joined the March with a delegation from Brussels. Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig spoke at the opening, bringing a simple message from Brussels to Belfast: workers deserve real say and more pay \u2013 and collective bargaining is how they win it.<\/strong> In the past months, employers\u2019 have made enormous profits that have fuelled inflation while squeezing workers\u2019 real-terms wages. United, the trade union movement can win real say and more pay for workers through collective bargaining. Belfast is a symbol of its unity. The movement is the biggest civil society organisation on the island of Ireland, bringing together over 800,000 working people north and south of the border.<\/p>\n For May Day, I brought a simple to Belfast: it is better to be in a trade union.<\/p>\n Together, we can win real say and more pay for workers.<\/p>\n Belfast is a symbol of our movement\u2019s unity.<\/p>\n That is why we will return here with 800+ delegates for our Congress in March 2025. pic.twitter.com\/js1gahGAQR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Oliver Roethig (@ORoethig) May 4, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/p>\n\n