On May 1, New Jersey's 1199SEIU members made the trip to New York to march in May Day demonstrations organized by the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The gathering of was part of a nationwide general strike organized by OWS that drew more than 13,000 participants throughout the day. Carrying signs that read, “Healthcare workers are the 99%” and “When Unions win, workers win”, the group of New Jersey nursing home workers spoke up for jobs and for the rights of working class families across their state.

The 1199 contingent marched for several hours alongside fellow union members and other progressive groups. The evening's activities began in Union Square, where thousands of protesters amassed before marching down Broadway to Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. Barriers blocked pedestrian traffic, and a considerable police presence had been deployed.

The May Day march in New York follows a series of springtime actions organized by OWS that have increased the movement’s visibility over the last several weeks.

New Jersey 1199ers led a large group of demonstrators who marched behind a banner that read, “Jobs, Not Cuts,” while they chanted to the drums and bells of supporting protesters. The group travelled to NYC to highlight the need for more jobs and to find solutions to the real challenges working families are facing across New Jersey.