On May Day 2025, trade unions around the world are mobilising in protest against rising inequality and the perceived erosion of democracy by billionaire elites.

According to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), workers in cities across the globe would take to the streets with a common message: an alternative to the billionaire-dominated model is both possible and necessary.

The movement is calling for urgent measures to counter the growing concentration of wealth and power and to restore democratic values.

The campaign underscored what the ITUC describes as a system skewed in favour of the ultra-wealthy, and urges global action to secure justice, dignity and equality for working people.

Central to its demands is the establishment of a New Social Contract—one that ensures fair taxation, decent work, living wages, quality public services, and climate justice.

As part of this coordinated mobilisation, unions are pressuring national governments to uphold the principles of a fair and inclusive society.

The ITUC announced it would elevate these demands to the international level on 8 May 2025, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the defeat of fascism in the Second World War.

In a statement issued on 29 April, the organisation said it would appeal to global leaders and institutions to confront what it termed a ‘billionaire coup’ against democracy, and to endorse a new framework rooted in fairness, dignity, and sustainability.

The ITUC’s campaign, titled Billionaire Coup Against Democracy, outlined how billionaires manipulate political systems to secure favourable laws, avoid taxation, exploit workers, and erode public services — all while amassing extraordinary profits.

In response, trade unions are advocating for a people-centred model that prioritises human and environmental wellbeing over corporate greed.

‘Around the world, workers are being denied the basics of life like well-funded hospitals and schools, living wages and freedom to move, while billionaires pocket record profits and unimaginable power. A system built for the 0.0001 per cent is rigged against the rest of us – but workers around the world are standing up and organising to take back democracy,’ said Luc Triangle, ITUC General Secretary.

Triangle added that the demands being put forward are not radical, but fundamental: ‘Workers are demanding a New Social Contract that works for them – not the billionaires undermining democracy.’

The international trade union movement has set out a ten-point vision for a fairer and more equitable world, urging comprehensive reforms to address widening inequality and restore dignity in work and everyday life.

According to the ITUC, the vision includes a call for fair taxation, where the wealthiest contribute proportionately, relieving ordinary workers of an unfair financial burden.

The movement also highlighted the need for robust regulations to safeguard people from unsafe working conditions, environmental degradation, financial misconduct and discrimination.

Trade unions stressed that quality education should be a universal right, not a privilege for the few, and underscored the importance of well-funded, affordable public services to strengthen communities.

They also advocated for universal social protection measures, including access to healthcare and secure pensions, to provide safety and dignity for all.

A key part of the agenda was the demand for living wages that ensure a decent standard of living through a single job, alongside the creation of sustainable employment that meets local needs and supports the fight against climate change.

The movement further called for equality and freedom, especially for women and marginalised groups, while promoting peace and solidarity over division, conflict and security systems that prioritise elites.

An end to the criminalisation and exploitation of migrants was also among the demands, with unions reaffirming the right to freedom of movement as fundamental.