The general strike in Minneapolis on Jan. 23 that shut the city down and catapulted forward the general strike movement that has been stirring below for some time may turn out to be the biggest step forward that the working class has taken in our lifetime. It is a sign that the virtual frozen iceberg that has slowed the development of the working class for too long is thawing.
After the Minneapolis strike, thousands of people across the country, especially students, joined a call for a national general strike, but that was only a preview of what’s coming.
Groups including labor unions, migrant solidarity forces and antiwar activists are calling for a general strike on May Day 2026. In the recent past, there have been calls for general strikes on May Day, but until now, they’ve been symbolic or not taken seriously. Some activists have been talking about and planning for a general strike for many months. They see Minneapolis as proof that they are on the right track.
Some major unions have targeted May Day 2028 for a major labor general strike, when a number of big labor contracts expire. It seems that workers are not willing to wait two years…