A militant May Day Program was jointly organized by Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangh, Unorganized Workers Federation, Penurimai Iyakkam and 30 other organizations. Activists of Makklatchi Iyakkam (Lok Raj Sangathan) militantly participated in this united May Day program. Program started at 4PM from the Labour Statue on the Marina beach. The May Day procession then proceeded through the Marina Beach to Nochikuppam, a fishermen's village. Construction workers, unorganized workers, workers belonging to Integral Coach Factory, Aavin milk dairy, Pentafour Product Employees Union and Narikuravars participated in this demonstration. All through the procession, participants raised militant slogans - "Mayday Zindabad, Workers of the World Unite, Down with the Liberalization and privitization programs, We workers and peasants will rule this country", etc.

When the procession reached Nochikuppam, a meeting was held there. Representatives of all the participating organizations addressed the meeting. Speakers saluted the memory of the Mayday martyrs. They also recalled the recent struggles of the working class to win their rights and justice. They spoke of the attacks on the working class and other toiling sections of the society under today's political setup. Workers are thrown out of their jobs, real wages keep falling down, there are attacks on the rights won over the years of struggle, etc. Peasants are forced to leave their livelihood and land for the capitalists to reap super profits. Big capitalists and imperialists are penetrating even the small business and retail trade. Today's political system in the name of democracy denies the power to the working people. There was a call to unite all the working people into one great stream and advance all our struggles. This united force must fight for the political power in the hands of the working class and people. The meeting ended with the resolve to advance the workers unity and struggles in the coming period.

Many other trade union and political organizations also held their Mayday programs, demonstrations and meetings all over the city. Makkal Kalai Ilakiya Kazhagam held a demonstration against the Reliance retail shops on May Day. Many of their activists and small shopkeepers protested against the entry of big capitalists and multinational organizations into the retail trade endangering the livelihood of the petty traders.

Throughout the city, many Trade Unions hoisted their union flags in front of their factories and offices on May Day and held militant meetings.