Vol. 73/No. 17      May 4, 2009

The union representatives were joined by Lawrence Benito, deputy director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. He announced a protest action at the Broadview Detention Center in suburban Des Plaines April 30.

Speaking at the press conference, Ewa Miklewicz, a janitor and member of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1, recounted her decision to leave Poland in 1976, where she was a teacher, and move to the United States.

In 1986 Miklewicz received papers along with millions of others as part of an amnesty. “It hurts me to see the troubles that many immigrants are going through again,” she said, pointing to the need for a large turnout May 1 to demand legal rights for all immigrants.

Alfonso Bravo, a grocery store worker and member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881, and Catherine de Santiago, a factory worker and member of Teamsters Local 743, also spoke representing their unions. Bravo, who addressed the gathering in Spanish, urged “the entire community to march with us May 1.”

Laura Garza, vice president of SEIU Local 1, chaired the news conference and made opening remarks.

The flyer and news release calling the conference and Garza’s remarks focused on some of the themes labor officials here have sounded at recent actions that deemphasize the demand for legalization. These include a general reference to immigration reform, passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, and a so-called economic recovery for all.

“On May 1, 2009,” the flyer read, “thousands of people will march for an economic recovery that works for everyone—including freedom for workers to form unions and a level playing field for all workers, regardless of immigration status.”

Melvin Maclin, vice president of United Electrical Workers Local 1110 and a former Republic Windows and Doors worker, sounded a somewhat different emphasis—one that was echoed by other speakers.

Pointing to the Bank of America offices across the street, Maclin said, “We fought Bank of America and Republic Windows and Doors and we won. None of that would have been possible without a union, without workers who are native-born and workers who are immigrants being able to stand and fight together. That’s why it’s important for us to turn out on May Day, because immigrant rights and labor rights go hand in hand.”

Last December unionists at Republic Windows and Doors sat in, occupying the plant, when the company attempted to dismiss workers without paying them severance and medical benefits. They won after six days.

Maria Hernandez, a laundry worker and member of Local 969 of the Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board of Workers United, described the preparations her union is making for the march.

The newly formed Workers United union is organizing weekly meetings of industrial laundry and garment workers in Chicago to build the May Day march. The meetings were moved from Monday to Saturday so that more workers could attend. Some members of the union are also attending march coalition planning meetings.

“We have an opportunity to send President Obama a clear message May 1,” she said in English and Spanish, “that what we want is legalization now.”
 
 
Related articles:
No deportations! End the ICE raids!
Immigration raids, patrols on borders to continue
Union officials echo bosses’ ‘immigration reform’
Legalization for all immigrants! Join May Day actions!  
 
 
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