April 17, 2000
NEW YORK — The first of a series of public forums organized by the AFL-CIO on immigrant rights took place here April 1. A feature of the event was reports by immigrant workers involved in battles for decent wages, working conditions, and dignity on the job.
The event was aimed at explaining the new AFL-CIO policy in favor of amnesty for the estimated 6 million undocumented workers in this country who would benefit from permanent resident status.
The shift in policy has given more openings for workers and activists to organize protests in support of immigrant rights. Big stacks of posters in Spanish and English were available to help build the 1 p.m. demonstration on May 1 in Union Square in Manhattan.
Similar meetings to discuss the change in AFL-CIO policy are set for Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles.
April 18, 1975
WASHINGTON — Now that you know the government keeps files on everyone, from Boy Scout troop leaders to Groucho Marx, you may have been thinking you’d like to see your own files. Well, the FBI has a surprise for you.
The bureau has announced that if it doesn’t have a file on you already, one will be opened if you write in asking to see your dossier. It seems that the snoopers want to discourage the spiraling rate of requests for files. On Feb. 19, new amendments to the Freedom of Information Act went into effect, making it more difficult for federal agencies to refuse to release secret documents.
Since then, more than 800 people have flooded the FBI, CIA, and other agencies, asking for their dossiers. At the CIA, the number of requests quadrupled in one month. The agency says thirty-five people are now working full-time to process them.
April 17, 1950
Labor unity has become the No. 1 topic on the agenda of the union movement. The whole initiative and impulsion toward unity has come from the workers. CIO President Philip Murray wants to channelize the powerful sentiment into support for the Truman machine and the cold war.
The union ranks are disgusted with the division in labor’s ranks that saw the steelworkers, the coal miners and the Chrysler workers forced into isolated battles against the corporate interests. They want unity in order to give battle.
The union locals of every affiliation should demand the calling of a United Congress of Labor, with elected representatives from every local union. This congress could forge a unity so solid and militant that labor would be able to sweep before it all who stand in the way of security, plenty and peace for the American people.