Events have been occurring nationwide from Thursday through the weekend.

May Day, or International Workers Day, is observed to celebrate workers and their rights. Many across the country and the world choose to mark the day with protests and demonstrations in response to perceived threats to workers’ rights and social justice.

Local protesters gathered behind the Iron Mountain City Hall before marching to the Dickinson County Courthouse, where they heard from area labor leaders.

Mari Negro, the event’s organizer and chair of the Dickinson County Democrats, said people turned out for a variety of reasons.

DAVID AND LYNN UKLEJA showed their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration at the March For May Day protest Saturday. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

“It would be nice if it was just one issue but with all of the executive orders that are coming down at us it just keeps getting worse and worse,” Negro said.

Jay Gibbs of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union talked about the labor movement’s deep roots in the Great Lakes region and the need for unity.

“We see the Trump movement that seeks to divide us, whether by background, our beliefs or by our very identities,” Gibbs said. “All distract from the real issue that working people are demanding more — that is why solidarity matters now more than ever.”

Bob Koerschner of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers also spoke of the need for unity.

“The ruling class never forgave FDR for trying to make capitalism work for the people, so they have been lying to us for decades,” Koerschner said. “They are trying to convince us that the problem is not billionaires or board groups, that it is immigrants, people of color and the poor and marginalized that have even less than you do.”

Anna Tavonatti, a local food pantry volunteer, spoke of the difficulties that deep cuts to the Feeding America program have caused for those in need.

This was the fourth protest in Iron Mountain in recent months. Organizers said another is scheduled for June 7.