International Workers’ Memorial Day 2026

Social Workers Union (SWU) - International Workers' Memorial Day, April 28th

Today on International Workers’ Memorial Day we remember workers who have lost their lives, been injured, or made ill through work.

This year’s theme ‘psychosocial risks and mental wellbeing at work’ is a pressing issue for social workers. Research by SWU with ITV News published in 2025 – in the largest survey of its kind with 2,380 social workers across the UK taking part – shows the severe cost of poor working conditions:

  • 76% of social workers reported their mental health is in crisis
  • 27% reported finding themselves emotionally exhausted at least once a week
  • Around half of those surveyed reported wanting to leave social work

One of the key focuses of the Social Workers Union (SWU) and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) joint campaign to improve working conditions for social workers is to improve mental health and wellbeing support for practitioners. SWU and BASW are using the Cross-Party Group for Social Work to relay the areas needing improvement across everyday social work practice to those in parliament who can effect change. This includes the challenges and pressures affecting social workers’ wellbeing, staffing levels, workload management, and professional support.

Safe work is a right, not a privilege.

We remember the dead. We fight for the living.

May Day is both a commemoration and a reminder: that the conditions people work under were fought for and are still worth defending.

London May Day: Workers Make History 1926-2026. All out on Monday 4 May 2026. Assemble at 12pm noon at Clerkenwell Green, march at 1pm from Clerkenwell Green to Trafalgar Square, and rally at Trafalgar Square from 2:30pm-3:00pm.

This year’s May Day theme is ‘Workers Make History’ as we mobilise together during the 100th anniversary of the 1926 General Strike.

The GFTU and affiliates will be there in solidarity with workers everywhere to help make this the biggest London May Day for a generation. Bring your union banners and be a part of special day for the whole trade union and wider labour movement.

The Migrant Workers’ Rights bloc will also be marching as part of the wider May Day mobilisation. Updates are available on the Migrant Workers’ Rights Bloc WhatsApp Group.

You can RSVP to this year’s May Day rally and march in London on Monday May 4th here: bit.ly/LDNMayDayRSVP