(Remark: the full description of "2007 Labor Day Demonstration" is moved to here)
來自深水布社區組織協會的「左翼青年」在昨天的五一勞動節遊行集會向工友獻唱了兩首歌，分別是「倒扁歌」和「國際歌」。不知他們是否親自創作這首「倒扁歌」，這首歌甚有意義，不但在旋律上給人輕快和新鮮的感覺，而且突出了立法最低工資成為這兩年工運最突出的目標，極具歷史意義，所以筆者將此歌詞放在本人的內文。儘管旁人可能覺得他們有點瘋癲（crazy），在這個全球最經濟自由的香港下高舉並搖著「馬列毛」的旗幟，但是從他們的表現和興奮心情流露出他們的「純粹」理想和渴求，令我回憶起唐君毅先生曾經描述一種境況－－所有人也一起望著月亮---顯示出人類有一普遍性的心靈。雖然筆者並非社運的人士（social activist），或工運的人(labor activist)，相信將來也不是，但筆者也深深給他們這顆心靈所打動。
由於有許多參與者是外勞，所以筆者嘗試以英文簡單敘述昨天五一遊行，有興趣請到這裡。
昨天的遊行一如以往的五一遊行，不同運動的團體帶出不同運動的方向，例如「家務勞動是勞動」、「性工作是工作」、「工作是人權」、「外勞權是人權」、「反對公共私有化」、「反對新管理主義」、「聾人要就業」及「工人要有基本權利」，相信未來的遊行將會變得愈來愈多元。人數方面, 大會稱有約2000人, 人數不少。職工盟主辦的五一遊行與工聯會或”三加六”舉辦的遊行不同在於前者帶動非工會團體參加，後者則以動員工會為主。
由阿古提供的「倒扁歌」最能道出今年工會運動的其中一個核心目標，以下是歌詞：
雪糕狗最低工資主題曲（曲：倒扁歌）
老細好冇品 嗌價三千蚊
晚八朝四 通宵監禁
月尾到了也手緊
?我搞約章 人民不退讓
哪怕水炮射穿牆
今晚打多仗
來推進下限工資 齊齊唔怕遲
立例是人人樂意
每個工友思想一致 誓要戰鬥不休止
來推進下限工資 齊齊唔怕遲
願望是人人一致
挽救生計 不再猶豫
誓要決戰一次
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Labor march in 1st May, organized by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and joined by more than 30 unions and organizations, called for legislating a minimum wage, regulating working hours, implementing collective bargaining, opposing subcontracting system and improving occupational safety and health. HKCTU said that more than 2000 people joined the march. I joined the march as well and want to know what is the main message in the march, which I think, highlights the goals of the current labor movements. In the rally, the HKCTU first cheered up all of workers to show solidarity and got prepared for fighting altogether. Various unions and organizations gathered in the Victoria park and waved their banners to express their identities and claims. Labor Day march is like other large-scale demonstrations. It provided an opportunity not only for various grassroots and labor groups to express their claims, but also for various activists from various organizations and movements to meet and talk together. I walked around and opened my ears to different voices. To my surprise I saw the Association of the Deaf. It is very rare to see the welfare organization to join with labor unions and grassroots groups to stage a protest. So I walked to them and asked why the deaf join the march. 
A staff helped me to translate my vocal message to one of executive members. He said, "Because the unemployment situation for the deaf is quite serious. We want the society to know about it. Now the government ignored our poor employment situation and didn't make a good policy for us. We hope for a minimum wage and let the public know our request." "Though the government said she would help us, she still failed to make some effective measures to tackle our unemployment problem. She has defered for a long time and did not implement any effective measure to help us. " Besides, the deaf also agreed on the legislation for a minimum wage. He said that if the minimum wage is legislated, this could create more employment opportunity for them. Still I have some puzzles in my mind, for instance, why don't they join the FTU's march which also fight for increasing employment? 
Almost half of the participants were domestic helpers, who are mobilized by coalition for Migrant Rights. They called on the government to restore the minimum wage back to $3860 while the Hong Kong economy gets improved recently. Since 1999, their minimum wage was cut from $3860 to $3670 and in 2003, the government further imposed $400 levy on the employers of foreign domestic workers and meanwhile cut the wage of domestic workers to $3270. While the economy was improving in the mid-2005, the minimum wage for domestic workers increased by $50. However, the activists were dissatisfied with this small amount of adjustment and called to scrap the $400 monthly levy. Apart from the demand for wage increase, they also complained that the recruitment agents imposed excessive agency fee on domestic workers with the result that the received wage was lower than the stated minimum wage. Last but not the least, they complained the condition of staying in Hong Kong, two weeks rule, was too short to find a new job while she was laid off. In the course of the march, as usual, they are exhilarating with singing a nice song to show solidarity. 
Young leftists from Sham Shui Po community organization wave two flags with images of Mao Zedong, Marx and Lenin. What does it mean for them? One leftist explained, "We are a Marxist and Leninist! That means socialist and communist!." Another young leftist explained, "this is Marx, Lenin and Mao Zedong. We want to show our ideology to you. We are a Marxist, Leninist and Communist. We oppose capitalism, and all forms of exploitation and suppression. We strive for a society in which everyone do what one can and get what one needs. We will fight to utmost." 20 people from Alliance on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance also joined the labor day march. Why they join the march when some of labor unions said that they needed a job, instead of comprehensive social security assistance. Tat Chor explained, "I think they want to have a job with a reasonable protection, if there is such job under mininum wage system, then the case of low wage CSSA would go down." "Do you think that they discriminate against CSSA recipients?" Tat Chor explained, "I think they don't mean to discriminate against us. It is true this statement is a bit sensitive. It is like two sides of one coin. For one side, CSSA recipients want to have a respectable job. For another side, they want to have a good social security while they lose job. So there is no contradiction." 
I asked, "Then do you find it uncomfortable to work with labor unions?" Tat Chor said, "Of course not, we often work with labor union to fight for labor right. I think, for labor unions, labor right is their first priority. For me, social security is our first priority. So we have different priorities, instead of contradiction. They would not dare to oppose CSSA system. Without CSSA system, labors will face a bigger threat and are forced to accept a low wage job. Actually, there is no contradiction. It is only a strategy to emphasize that the government should bear responsibility for, say, legislating a minimum wage, otherwise the case of CSSA would increase." Why is Labor Day activity relevant for your alliance? Tat Chor explained, "many people including some activists think that labor day only belongs to workers. And workers is only referred to those who have a stable full time (male) job. I want to say, many women have housework everyday, but their unpaid works in our society are unrecognized as a contribution or labor. So we want to change this dominant idea. Besides, a lot of women are doing a part-time job, such as one or two hour domestic helpers. For instance, they might look after a pregnant woman or the like. In other words, they might be both housewives and workers. Since they bear several identities at the same time, we want to link the Labor Day to those women situation." 
Link Watch and the Elderly Right Centre followed the queue and shouted against the privatization of public goods, and called for the legislation on minimum wage. I met Lo Siu Lan, 60, who had filed a judicial review for terminating the sale of shopping centers and markets under public housing estates by the Housing Authority. I asked her if she was tired. She said, "No! not tired, but I have to use all my energy to walk. I come here because I demand wage increase for workers, their wage is so low! Also I called for eight-hour working day. Working hours should not be excessive, otherwise workers can't enjoy their life with money." I said, "Right, that is the labor issue, why do you as the elderly care about it?" Siu Lan explained, "We are marching for next generation such that they can enjoy their life!" Walking with Siu Lan, Ms Lee, one of Link Watch members, further explained why she joined the march. "We called for setting up minimum wage and monitoring the Link." "Why is your claim related to labor day?" she said, "Because many grassroots consume in those markets and shopping centers under the Links. The Links exploit not only the grassroots, but also workers toiling in the public housing estates. Besides, we are fighting for the elderly pension in order to have the protection for the retired life. We are grassroots citizen, that's why labor day is relevant to us! We hope that the government listened to our voices." 
In course of the rally, I hear, "Sex Work is a Work." Dorothy called me, "wei!" She is an intern student working in CSSA alliance few months ago. I asked, "why are you here!" She said, "I am a volunteer for Zi Teng. I join the march because we fight for a work right for migrant sex workers in Hong Kong and across the world." "Now sex work in HK is not a work because it resides in a gray area. So today, we are fighting for a work status, not only for local sex workers, but also for migrant one, such as those from Beijing, Thailand, etc. We think that they are human being, not a product. They have not only vagina, but also other parts of body. Labor day is a good place for us to express our voices. Today, some girls come from other countries,e.g. Holland, Australia, Britain, Toronto(Canada), China, Taiwan. This is a long-term fighting." 
Elaine, one of Zi Teng's staff, further explained the current situation of sex workers, "Now sex work is yet a work. For instance, some girls can't buy insurance on the basis of their work nature. While they suffered work injury, they failed to have any compensation. More seriously some ordinances are so unfavorable to them in the sense that the girls are easily arrested. Further the society see them as a criminal, not a worker." I asked her, "is joining this march effective for achieving your claim?" She said, "this is a long road. We hope that marching can let more people know that those sex workers are ordinary people. We will continue to do it!" At the government headquarters, the most touching moment for me is when young leftists sang a song with strong enthusiasm. Their song is nice and fashioned. They make me surprised!! Quote "Hi, every worker! We come here to sing a song. I want to say something, May 1st Labor Day, as you said, is to commemorate the workers in 18 century who sacrificed their lives for their labor right. Now we have yet got what we are fighting for. No Big Deal! We know, Our workers, Acting in solidarity. We have nothing to lose. We only get rid of chains and bondages. We will get our whole world. We are strong masters. We should act in solidarity with workers across the world and fight for our victory!" Now we sing...... "老勢好無品,嗌價夾天真....透過簡約章...人人都退讓....." I am not an activist, also not a labor activist. But I am strongly touched by their strong, pure enthusiasm and excitment for changing the world. Hope that they can keep and tranform this momentum! (If anyone has the voice record about their songs and Thai songs, please sends it to me and I will post it on this page.)