In what would be the largest mobilization in recent US history, immigrant workers came out of the shadows and into the streets, emerging as the new civil rights movement for the 21st century.
On April 10, in over a hundred US cities, demonstrators proudly waved flags and carried signs calling for equal rights, many for the first time, in huge demonstrations dubbed “A Day Without Latinos.”
In Madison, an unexpectedly large crowd marched up W. Washington Ave. from Brittingham Park cheering, ¡Si Se Puede!, or Yes, We Can! Reaching the State Capitol, elected officials, clergy and labor leaders welcomed the crowd that had swelled to about 15,000 for a noon rally.
The event was planned mainly by new immigrants coming together as the Organizacion 10 de Abril (April 10th Organization) in mass planning meetings, organizing on cell phones and getting their message out on Spanish language radio. Their message was summed up on one sign: Decriminalize wanting a better life.
Like elsewhere, the Madison crowd was overwhelmingly young, many pushing small children in strollers. Over 600 students were released from Madison’s public schools to attend the march, and several hundred more marched from the UW campus.
The nationwide movement was sparked by passage of HR 4437 authored by Wisconsin Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-Waukesha), legislation that would build a 700-mile wall on the US/Mexican border and criminalize not only immigrants, but also those who would provide them assistance. Demonstrators also called for the repeal of a new state law just signed by Gov. Doyle that denies drivers’ licenses to undocumented workers.
The week prior to the march there was a glimmer of hope that Congress might pass a bill making the immigration system safe, legal, orderly and fair – and provide legal status for most of the 12 million immigrants said to be living ‘illegally’ in the US.
Immigrants and organized labor both support legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for hardworking, taxpaying immigrants. With today’s broken immigration system, workers are denied basic labor rights, families are torn apart, and the borders are left unsecured.
Legislative prospects for a sane regulatory system to deal with today’s realities is still uncertain. The comprehensive bipartisan compromise, that would have brought workers out of the shadows and under the rule of law, fell apart under pressure from ultraconservatives who favored punishment, a wall on the border, and a permanent underclass of workers without rights.
Bishop Robert Morlino of the Madison Catholic Diocese was the first religious leader to address the throng on the steps of the State Capitol, followed by at least five others from various faiths. State Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, and Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz also gave words of support and encouragement to the crowd, as did Wisconsin labor leaders.
“We are a nation of immigrants. We all come here seeking a better life to work and to contribute for a better America,” said Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. “Our economy depends on the contributions of immigrants and our culture is enriched by their presence.”
“The unions of America and Wisconsin support you, and we do so proudly. Our demand is a path to legalization and a road to citizenship,” Wisconsin State AFL-CIO president David Newby called out to the crowd. “All workers must have equal rights no matter what their origins. If workers stand together we are powerful, divided we are very weak. In unity and solidarity, let us stand together.”
Jim Cavanaugh greeted “my fellow Americans” on behalf of the 35,000 member South Central Federation of Labor. “After hearing many stories about immigrant workers being exploited, not receiving their pay, working in unhealthy conditions, SCFL joined with the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice to examine the plight of Latino workers. We found there were two things we could do to address those problems. One was to create the Workers’ Right Center; we have done that and it was successful. The other is immigration reform and today we are beginning that effort,” Cavanaugh told the crowd.
A recent Washington Post/ABC News poll shows that 63 percent of American voters favor allowing immigrants who have been living in the US a certain number of years to apply for legal status and eventually become permanent citizens.
Seeds of the Movement GROW
The colorful, spirited and well-orchestrated event in Madison’s
downtown was brought together by more than 200 volunteers, 20 to 30 of them
working full-time, according to Alex Gillis, a leader of the Organizacion 10 de
Abril, which planned the event in meeting space donated by nonprofits and
churches.
“People were very militant and focused, and debates were very long and democratic,” said Gillis. “But there was a general understanding that this was a good cause and the best idea wins. They were so creative and the result was really an expression of the people.”
Learning from a March 23 demonstration in Milwaukee that resulted in a large number of workers being fired, Madison organizers minimized incidents with a lot of advanced planning, starting with writing letters to employers explaining what was going to happen and why.
The group established a hotline for workers who had problems with their employers before April 10. “Then, we had the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice calling employers saying ‘you know this is a civil rights issue, let’s negotiate some kind of release’,” said Gillis.
Thousands of workers initiated their own worksite committees and collectively approached employers to negotiate the day off, said Gillis, a native of Spain who took vacation from his job as AV director at the Fluno Center. Centro Hispano also wrote a letter to employers.
High School students put pressure on the school board and almost succeeded in changing the attendance policy, until it was learned that an obscure state law already allowed students to be excused to take part in a political activity.
While dozens of workers were fired for attending the demonstration, the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice worked diligently with the Organizacion 10 de Abril ‘s Labor Committee, negotiating agreements to return workers to their jobs. The only outstanding offender is Red Robin restaurants in Madison and Appleton where ten fired workers are still out of work at press time.
The national movement has already fractured along class lines, says Gillis, with some prominent organizations and religious leaders disagreeing with another proposed work stoppage and/or economic boycott on May 1.
“The national groups are not the leaders of the movement,” said Gillis. “While they do a lot of wonderful things with legislation and lobbying, no one group is yet leading in the direction workers want to go.”
Leaders in Congress also have not yet stated their intentions for legislation which could reignite the movement at any time.
May Day in Madison
Settling in for the long haul, the Organizacion 10 de Abril is
tentatively planning a rally for May 1 at the State Capitol and possibly a
celebration of the strength of the growing movement in a city park.
“We’re suggesting that, if they can, people should take a day off for International Workers’ Day.”
For updates visit: www.organizacion10deabril.net