Labor Rights Are Workforce Rights: May Day 2026

Seattle, April 30, 2026 — Every May 1st, communities across the globe pause to honor the workers who have shaped our economies, our cities, and our lives. In King County, we’re here to honor our local workforce which is as diverse as the region itself.

From caregivers and construction workers to tech employees and food service staff to warehouse associates and home health aides, we'd like to take a moment to recognize a fundamental truth: all working people deserve dignity, fair wages, and safe working conditions.

At the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County, our mission has always been rooted in a simple belief: good jobs change lives. But job quality doesn't happen by accident. It is built through policy, through organizing, and through the sustained commitment of labor leaders, community advocates, and workers themselves.

"May Day, or International Workers Day is a reminder of what workers have won together and what we must continue to fight for. Here in King County, we are seeing the real consequences of wage theft, unsafe conditions, and inadequate protections for our most vulnerable workers. The labor movement exists to fight for a fair return on a day's work, dignity for all workers, and respect on the job."

- Katie Garrow, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, MLK Labor, WDC Board Member

King County's workforce landscape has evolved dramatically in recent years. As industries grow and shift, workers — particularly those in service, healthcare, and caregiving sectors — face increasing precarity. Many hold multiple jobs just to afford housing in one of the nation's most expensive regions. Structural inequities mean that workers of color, immigrant workers, and women disproportionately bear the heaviest burdens.

Building a stronger workforce means confronting these disparities head-on. It means creating real pathways to economic security; not just entry-level access, but careers with room to grow. That work looks different across industries, but the foundation is always the same: invest in workers, and they will invest in their communities.

"Job quality and workforce equity aren't aspirational — they're achievable. Today reminds us why we keep building the systems that make both possible for every worker, in every industry. We look to the lessons the fight for labor rights have given us to help build real pathways to economic security for workers who've historically been left behind."

- Anne Nguyen, Interim Executive Director, WeTrain Washington, WDC Sound Jobs Partner

This May Day, we are also mindful of what is at risk. Labor rights are not permanent. They must be actively defended. From wage standards and paid leave to anti-discrimination protections and the right to organize, the gains workers have made require ongoing vigilance. In Washington State, we have made meaningful progress, but gaps remain. The work of closing them falls to all of us.

The Workforce Development Council is proud to stand alongside labor leaders, community organizations, employers, and workers across King County in that effort. Together, we are building pathways to good jobs, advocating for stronger protections across industries and demographics, and ensuring our region's economic future is one that works for everyone.

Happy May Day to every worker who shows up, speaks up, and makes King County what it is. Your labor, and your future, matters.