The March 10 rally was called to protest the Sensenbrenner bill passed by the House of Representatives in December. This legislation makes it a felony for immigrants to live in the United States without proper documents and also applies to anyone “aiding, abetting, counseling” an undocumented immigrant. Organizers also used the rally to build support for the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, sponsored by senators John McCain and Edward Kennedy.

The workers filed the claims on March 16 and held a news conference that day. They described how management at first had said they would allow workers to attend the rally, and then, once they had a list of 50 workers who were planning to go, began threatening them individually with termination. About half of those on the list went anyway. The following day, the fired workers gathered in the parking lot outside the factory and marched across the street to the company offices to demand their jobs back. They were reportedly directed to a conference room where they met with company officials.

By the end of the day the company backed down and said that the firings were a mistake. “There is a misunderstanding between the employees and their supervisor,” company official Gene Lasker, told the press. “We ask the employees to return to work on Monday, which they will, and as far as we’re concerned, the issue is settled.” Lasker didn’t say if the workers would be compensated for the week of missed work.

José Oliva, director of the Interfaith Workers’ Rights Center, which assisted the workers in filing the claims, told the press that he believes many other Chicago workers have been victimized by their employers for having taken the day off to demonstrate on March 10.

“The march was exactly for what we are here today, for our rights to be respected,” said Jesús Hernández, one of the 33 fired workers. He said he didn’t regret making the decision to go to the march.

Martin Unzueta from the Chicago Workers Collaborative said that he is planning to also file a complaint with the EEOC for 10 workers fired from a Schiller Park automobile parts company for participating in the rally.

Rollande Girard contributed to this article.
 
 
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