Mamdani Outlines Agenda: Universal Childcare And Corporate Taxes Headlined At Washington Square Park

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:00]The 40-hour work week, the weekend, overtime pay, minimum wage, SOCIAL SECURITY, WORKPLACE SAFETY STANDARDS, these have all been won by the workers who came before us. We have to work together to not just protect them, BUT TO ADVANCE THAT same agenda.

[00:00:19]AND OUR CITY HALL IS COMMITTED to doing everything we can to put working people right at the heart of that agenda. SO, WHEN I SAY UNION, YOU SAY STRONG. UNION!

[00:00:30]UNION! UNION! UNION! Happy May Day, New York City.

[00:00:59]>> [cheering] >> GOOD AFTERNOON, NEW YORK CITY!

[00:01:06]HOW WE DOING?

[00:01:10]HOW WE DOING?

[00:01:13]HAPPY MAY DAY, EVERYBODY.

[00:01:16]I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST TO THE ORGANIZERS, THE ACTIVISTS, AND THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF NEW YORK CITY. LET'S HEAR IT FOR THEM.

[00:01:27]NOW, I WOULD NOT BE STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU AS THE MAYOR OF OUR CITY WERE IT not for the support of working people.

[00:01:34]AND IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE BACK HERE with all of you in Washington SQUARE PARK, THE CRADLE of worker power.

[00:01:44]Time and again, NEW YORK CITY WORKERS have shaped history from where we stand right now.

[00:01:49]We speak of Eugene Debs CALLING FOR THE 8-HOUR WORK DAY AND THE END OF CHILD LABOR. WHERE 20,000 PLUS CALLED FOR CHANGE AFTER THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FIRE IN 1911.

[00:02:03]Workers have won the rights that ARE TAKEN FOR GRANTED TODAY. THE 40-HOUR WORK WEEK, the weekend, overtime pay, MINIMUM WAGE, SOCIAL SECURITY, WORKPLACE SAFETY STANDARDS, THESE HAVE ALL BEEN WON BY THE WORKERS WHO CAME BEFORE US.

[00:02:23]And yet, we know that those rights are not inevitable. WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER TO NOT JUST PROTECT THEM, BUT TO ADVANCE THAT SAME AGENDA.

[00:02:34]AND OUR CITY HALL IS COMMITTED TO DOING everything we can to put working PEOPLE RIGHT AT THE HEART OF THAT AGENDA.

[00:02:44]That is why we have delivered millions of dollars to workers and small businesses who are being ripped off by mega corporations.

[00:02:52]THAT IS WHY WE APPOINTED THE FIRST EVER DEPUTY MAYOR for economic justice, Julie Su.

[00:02:59]THAT IS WHY I STOOD THERE ALONGSIDE NYSNA NURSES AND STARBUCKS WORKERS ON THE PICKET LINE.

[00:03:07]And that is why WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO POWER THIS CITY AS WE LOOK TO DELIVER UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE, FASTER BUSES, CHEAPER GROCERIES, PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORS FROM THE CRUELTY OF ICE.

[00:03:22]And yes, WORKING TO TAX the wealthiest AND THE MOST PROFITABLE CORPORATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.

[00:03:33]NOW, we know that ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO UPLIFT WORKER POWER IS TO STAND WITH OUR UNIONS.

[00:03:39]THERE IS NO NEW YORK CITY WITHOUT UNIONS.

[00:03:42]A union town that is union strong.

[00:03:47]I want TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A HINT. THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS UNION WORKERS.

[00:03:53]WHO BUILT THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING?

[00:03:56]WHO KEEPS THE MAGIC ALIVE ON BROADWAY?

[00:04:00]WHO DRIVES OUR BUSES AND CLEANS OUR STREETS?

[00:04:04]Union strong is more than just a slogan, it is a practice of solidarity.

[00:04:11]Coming to THE STAGE IS SHAWANA BERRY FROM LIUNA LOCAL 79.

[00:04:18]COME ON UP, SHAWANA.

[00:04:20]In the words of Samuel Gompers, YOU CAN'T DO IT UNLESS YOU ORGANIZE.

[00:04:27]TOGETHER, we will show the world what solidarity means. That a people united, a people organized, cannot be defeated.

[00:04:38]So, when I say union, YOU SAY STRONG.

[00:04:41]UNION! UNION! UNION! UNION! Happy May Day, New York City.

[00:04:56]Today, we gather here on May Day, International Workers' Day, a day rooted in resistance, in power, and in THE TRUTH THAT WORKERS MAKE THIS WORLD AND THIS COUNTRY RUN.

[00:05:14]I KNOW THAT THE HELP WITH EVERYBODY HERE, we can win a fair first contract. I need everyone here to stop buying Starbucks and to uninstall the Starbucks app from your phone.

[00:05:25]WHEN WORKERS' RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO?

[00:05:29]WHEN WORKERS' RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO?

[00:05:33]WHO DOESN'T WANT $30 AN HOUR, Y'ALL? $30 AN HOUR?

[00:05:38]>> [screaming] >> I'M GOING TO BE LIVING IN A HIGH-RISE BUILDING IN MANHATTAN, I tell you. All right.

[00:05:45]You know, I want to say something that's very important. As we listen to a lot of people speak here today, labor and immigrant rights are intertwined.

[00:05:53]Our fight for fair wages, safe workplaces, and dignity on the job is the same fight for immigrant justice. An attack on one of us IS AN ATTACK ON ALL OF US.

[00:06:09]BEND THE POWER!

[00:06:13]ICE out!

[00:06:16]And tax the rich!

[00:06:23]>> [music]