May Day, aka International Workers’ Day 2026, marks 140 years of strikes, marches, and organizing and is a global reminder of labor struggles, worker power, and the fight for fair treatment. And if you’re staying in and streaming, there’s no shortage of powerful, entertaining, and sometimes wildly creative stories that capture those themes.
From Oscar winners to cult classics and buzzy streaming hits, here are 10 must-watch movies, documentaries, and series to add to your May Day watchlist.
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Starting our list, Boots Riley’s surreal satire offers a bold look at the modern workplace. A 21st-century cult favorite that turns workplace inequality into unforgettable satire, it follows a telemarketer who discovers a shortcut to success at a moral cost. Critically acclaimed for its originality, the film skewers corporate exploitation with absurd humor. Other featured themes include commentary on code-switching and labor organizing. Add it to your watchlist for something weird and funny that hits harder the deeper you get into it.
Where to Watch Sorry to Bother You: Howdy
Union (2024)
For a more current look, the 2024 documentary Union captures the heat of modern labor organizing. Centered around warehouse workers unionizing in Staten Island, it tracks the risky momentum behind today’s worker activism, reflecting a real-world surge across industries. Check this one out for a timely, raw look at a new wave of modern resistance in today’s corporate landscape.
Where to Watch Union: The Criterion Channel | Buy/Rent on Prime Video
Salt of the Earth (1954)
A true landmark in labor cinema, Salt of the Earth remains an essential landmark of resistance. The blacklisted-era film tells the story of a miners’ strike with a groundbreaking focus on women stepping into leadership roles. Despite facing heavy political backlash at the time, it’s now preserved in the National Film Registry and widely regarded as one of the most important labor films ever made. A historic, ahead-of-its-time portrayal of intersectional labor, the drama is noted for being among the earliest fully independent films produced outside the Hollywood studio system.
Where to Watch Salt of the Earth (1954): Plex | Prime Video | MGM+ | DIRECTV | Tubi | Pluto TV
Snowpiercer (2013)
Directed by Bong Joon Ho, this dystopian thriller turns a train into a brutal class system. In a high-octane allegory, the poor fight their way forward against the elite. Entertaining and thought-provoking, the film was a box office success internationally and became a cult hit. Praised for its visual storytelling and biting social commentary, a spinoff series ran for four seasons (stream on Plex | Philo).
Where to Watch Snowpiercer: Fubo | Tubi | Pluto TV
Parasite (2019)
Also from Bong Joon Ho, Parasite made history by winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, the first non-English language film to do so. It blends dark comedy with high-stakes thrills, dissecting class inequality with surgical precision. The global phenomenon grossed over $250 million worldwide and redefined how mainstream audiences engage with class and labor themes.
Where to Watch Parasite: Buy/Rent on Prime Video
Severance (2022– )
For a chilling, addictive look at work-life balance taken to terrifying extremes, add Severance to your May Day 2026 watchlist. The Apple TV hit imagines a workplace where employees surgically separate their work and personal memories, but things quickly spiral out of control. Widely praised for its writing, performances, and eerie tone, earning multiple Emmy nominations. Severance has become one of the most talked-about workplace dramas in recent years
Where to Watch Severance: Apple TV
I’m a Virgo (2023)
On the more fantastical side, I’m a Virgo follows a 13-foot-tall teenager navigating capitalism. The Boots Riley miniseries blends absurdity with pointed social commentary, earning strong critical praise for its originality and performances. The show offers a fresh take on identity and traces how surveillance, branding, and managerial control shape everyday life for workers.
Where to Watch I’m a Virgo: Prime Video
A Bug’s Life (1998)
Pixar’s animated classic is essentially a story about a classic tale of worker rebellion. Worker ants rise up against their oppressive grasshopper overlords in a surprisingly on-the-nose labor story. Loosely inspired by The Seven Samurai, the film was a commercial hit and is a great introduction to collective action for kids. Nearly three decades later, A Bug’s Life has become a May Day watch that everyone can enjoy.
Where to Watch A Bug’s Life: Disney+
Harlan County, USA (1976)
For a raw, real-life experience, Harlan County, USA captures a gritty coal miners’ strike. The Oscar-winning documentary puts viewers directly in the middle of the conflict during Brookside Strikes. Directed and produced by filmmaker Barbara Kopple, many consider it one of the greatest documentaries ever made. Give it a watch for a powerful, ground-level look at the human cost of labor disputes.
Where to Watch Harlan County, USA: HBO Max | The Criterion Channel
Squid Game (2021–2025)
Wrapping up with a cultural giant, Squid Game highlights the high stakes of economic desperation. Though not explicitly about labor, its themes hit right at the core of modern worker struggles. The series became one of the most-watched shows in streaming history, sparking worldwide conversation about inequality and debt. Netflix’s global phenomenon is an easy binge that reminds viewers why solidarity matters and how easily those with power can exploit others just trying to get by.
Where to Watch Squid Game: Netflix
