Join 3CR in our 50th year of coverage on achievements of the labour movement, in solidarity with the continued struggle for labour rights and fair working conditions for communities around the world.
May Day is International Workers’ Day. 3CR supports the fight of workers and unions for better wages and conditions, and their democratic rights to organise and unionise, wherever they are.
Tune in on Friday 1 May and Sunday 3 May 2026 to hear 3CR's May Day coverage:
Friday 1 May 2026 | 12.30am - 7.00pm
3CR's yearly May Day special broadcast, including regular Friday programs with a May Day presentation, plus some specials in our yearly commemoration on 1 May 2025
12.30 - 5.00am | Special Feature | Talkback with Attitude! May Day All Night
Back by ... demand! For the 3rd year running, join our hosts Pat ‘The Axe’ Khor, Dr Joe Toscano & their fine feathered friends LIVE on Talkback's special May Day All Night.Share your comments, questions, stories, and announcements, and we'll provide an encyclopaedic history of May Day, plus great company, music, and best of all - attitude! Put May Day All Night in your calendar. A special and unique opportunity to gather ‘round the radio. Call (03) 9419 0155, or text in on 0488 809 855.
5.00am-6.00am | From the Archives: Redgum LIVE May Day Benefit Concert 1981
A special historic presentation courtesy of Greg Segal's personal cassette collection, with a quick chat with Greg about live radio tech & volunteering with 3CR over the decades, before jumping in to recordings from this event... a demonstration of the relationships built through real community over the course of history.
6.00am-7.00am | May Day Committee's annual Wreath Laying | LISTEN
Hear presentations from attendees on Thursday 30th April, at the Melbourne May Day Committee's annual wreath-laying ceremony at the 8-hour monument.
7.00 - 8.30am | Green Left Radio | 'Friday Breakfast' presenters, Jacob and Zane | LISTEN
Anti-capitalist analysis on current affairs and international politics, featuring special interviews and discussions with long-time trade union activists:: Tim Gooden (former Secretary of the Geelong Trades Hall and retired construction worker), Norrian Rundle (retired teacher with a long history of involvement in rank-and-file teacher groups), Lalitha Chelliah (retired nurse and a founding presenter of Green Left Radio).
8.30 - 9.00am | Left After Breakfast | Presenter Susanna Duffy, with former regular contributors | LISTEN
3CR Volunteer for 43 years running, and weekly programmer since 1985, host Susanna says:
"May Day isn’t just about history — it’s about continuity. It connects past struggles to present issues, and links:
It’s about solidarity and collective power. It reinforces the truth that workers are stronger together."
9.00-10.00am | Kill Your Lawn & Kick Your Fence | Presenter Amy Ciara | LISTEN
Solidarity with Iran and unhoused community members. First a live studio discussion with members of the Homeless Persons Union Victoria, and later a speech from Ali Keshtkar at a recent public meeting in Geelong, entitled Stop the Imperialist War in Iran, End Australian Support, which was hosted by the MUA, Socialist Alliance, and IPAN.
10.00-11.00am | Think Again | Presenter Jacques Boulet | LISTEN
A one-hour special program, looking at organisations and institutions not usually associated with workers’ interests - that is, historic and contemporary workers initiatives associated with the Catholic Church. Jacques & guests Jorge Jorquera and Dr Stefan Gigacz reflect on the role of religion, and specifically the Young Christian/Catholic Workers (YCW) movement, here and abroad.
11.00am-12.00pm | Blak 'n' Deadly | Presented by Djuran Bunjileenee Robbie Thorpe | LISTEN
Today's May Day edition will feature legendary singer-songwriter, Murri man Kev Carmody famous for his songs about the oppression of Aboriginal people and the working class. Early in 1991 Carmody co-wrote a song, "From Little Things Big Things Grow", with Paul Kelly a historical account of the Gurindji tribe drovers' walkout led by Vincent Lingiari at Wave Hill Station in the Northern Territory during the 1960s, an event that sparked the Abooriginal land rights movement. Followed by a conversation with Jasper Cohen-Hunter, Secretary of the Black People's Union.
12.00-2.00pm | Music Matters | Presenter Joe Malignaggi | LISTEN
An eclectic presentation of workers' music with Comrade Joe and 3CR's award-winning Live-to-Air tech team!
Worker & Parasite live in studio with music and talks, featuring live renditions of:
Resignation / Econ Spore / Sound Advise / Apolitcal / Cease + Desist / Manifest / Comfort/Control / Deinionise
2.00 - 4.00pm | Burning Vinyl | Presenter Matt Gleeson | LISTEN
The best of local, unsigned music - for workers! Live band Wolfpack in the studio courtesy of our Live-to-Air tech team, plus the usual smorgasbord of local and unsigned artists from Matt's extensive extensive May Day themed collection.
4.00 - 5.00 | In Ya Face | Presenter James McKenzie
Interviews and commentary on workers movements from an LGBTIQA+ perspectives, featuring interviews with:
5.00 - 5.30 | A Friday Rave | Presenters Jacob Grech | Audio coming soon!
Activists and ravers Jacob and Mercedes with a special, including their usual incisive commentary and analysis.
5.30 - 6.30 | Slacker Radio | Presenters Tilde Joy and Jordan Adams | LISTEN
Slackers' bread'n'butter - "radical unionism, local street movements, complaints about waged labour and strategies to slack off at work and still get paid." With music and specials to commemorate May Day 2026.
6.30 - 7.30pm | International Workers’ Programming | LISTEN
Talks and presentations from the Melbourne May Day Committee's annual International Solidarity Event, recorded by Marisol Salinas (Mujeres Latinoamericanas), with presentations and words from Len Cooper, Andrew Irving, Omar (member of the Lebanese Communist Party), Kevin Bracken, Maree Dellora, Marisol Salinas, and performances from the Victorian Trade Union Choir.
7.30 - 8.30pm | Women on The Line | Presenter Phuong | LISTEN
Special advance listen to Monday's upcoming Women on the Line broadcast, revisiting the historic 50-day Victorian nurses’ and midwives’ strike in 1986 from the Women on The Line archives, during 3CR’s rolling coverage of the dispute. This special May Day episode spans three archival episodes (Nov & Dec 1986), where former programmer Deb Welch speaks to nurses and members of the Royal Australian Nursing Federation (now known as the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation), and shares speeches, chants and songs from the various rallies and walkouts that took place across the state of Victoria.
Sunday 3 May, 2.00pm - 4.00pm | Audio coming soon
3CR's two-hour LIVE outside broadcast from the yearly May Day Sunday event, which is organised by the Melbourne May Day Committee. Live discussions with rallygoers from Marisol Salinas (Mujeres Latinoamericanas) and Annie McLoughlin (Solidarity Breakfast, Stick Together) plus speeches and May Day audio extras!
