NYC May Day: Militant display of int’l workers’ solidarity

There was a kickoff rally May 1 at Union Square—historic site of many May Day gatherings—and then a march to Foley Square, in front of the notorious Federal Building, where many immigrants have experienced abuse, grief and discrimination at the hands of “la migra,” formerly known as the Immigration and Naturalization Service and now Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

New York WW photo: Deirdre Griswold

At Foley Square, Charles Jenkins, May 1st Coalition co-coordinator and member of Local 100 Transport Workers Union, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and the Million Worker March Movement, said, “All workers—in unions or not, with papers or not—need to unite. We want to organize all workers, so everyone can have good jobs and union pay.” His remarks were echoed by AFSCME District Council 37 leaders Misbah Uddin and Mike Gimbel, who said, “Immigrants’ rights are workers’ rights.”

Grassroots organizations of day laborers and street vendors came from Hempstead, Long Island; Queens; the Bronx; Manhattan; Staten Island; and Freehold, N.J. Their T-shirts and banners emphasized the spirit of the day: Esperanza del Barrio (Hope of the Barrio), Vamos Unidos—Vendedores Ambulantes Movilizando y Organizando en Solidaridad (Street Vendors Mobilizing and Organizing in Solidarity), Centro de Derechos Laborales (Center of Workers’ Rights), No Raids Committee, and NICE (New Immigrant Community Empowerment). Several organizations from the Guatemalan community, including MIGUA (Guatemalan Immigrants’ Movement), were present.

WW photo: Deirdre Griswold

Latina students from various New York City community colleges carried a banner saying, “We have a dream! Pass the DREAM Act now!” This act would allow all students, documented or not, to attend four-year colleges. Tens of thousands of immigrant students now have their dreams of education deferred because of discriminatory laws that hold them back.

The Filipino representation reflected the impressive organizing efforts of Bayan-USA and the Gabriela Network. Gabriela is a Philippine-U.S. women’s solidarity mass organization. Berna Ellorin, general secretary of Bayan-USA and co-coordinator of the May Day event, declared: “Migration is for survival. We wouldn’t leave our home countries if we could find work there, but neoliberalism—also known as imperialism—has destroyed the economies in our countries. That’s why we come here. Legalization for all, and down with imperialism!”

WW photo: John Catalinotto

Latina/o workers, along with workers originally from Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe, marched united on Broadway in New York on May Day 2009, in an event organized by the May 1st Coalition for Worker and Immigrant Rights. Intermittent torrential rains drenched the demonstrators, but could not dampen their spirits. Thousands gathered and marched, waving colorful flags and holding beautiful banners. A festive air—complete with dancers, musicians and drummers—was mixed with a defiant, determined mood: “¡Aquí estamos, y nos quedamos, y si nos echan, regresamos!” (“We’re here, and we’re staying, and if they throw us out, we’ll be back!”)

Carlos Canales, May 1st Coalition co-coordinator and community organizer of day laborers with the Workplace Project of Long Island, said, “We should do everything to end [Section] 287(g) [of the Immigration and Nationality Act], especially in Arizona where Sheriff Joe Arpaio has been using it to terrorize immigrants.” Section 287(g) authorizes local police to enforce immigration law.

The Al-Awda Palestine Right to Return Coalition representative, Dahlia Abisaab, stated: “Imagine being driven from your home and then forced to build a new home for your oppressor right on top of it. ... Palestinians understand and share the suffering of the Mexican people.”

Sara Rodriguez and Mike Filippo of the Stella D’Oro strikers in the Bronx told the crowd that the 160 strikers at the bakery “will keep fighting for as long as it takes!” The mostly women immigrants have been on the picket line for eight months, and not one of them has gone back to work, despite intense pressure.

Hector Castillo, a representative of the Dominican community, said: “People ask, ‘Why organize, if President Obama is giving immigration reform?’ This is a big error. We’ll only get legalization if we fight for it.”

Ray LaForest spoke for Haitian workers, and Walter Sinche for the Ecuadorian Alliance. African peoples were represented by Fallou Guyere of the Senegalese community and by Dr. Asha Samad-Matias of the SAFRAD-Somali Association, who made an eloquent appeal against U.S. military and economic aggression in the Horn of Africa. Jei Fong of Break the Chains represented Chinese workers in New York City. Shahid Comrade spoke for the Pakistan-USA Freedom Forum. He demanded an end to the U.S. drone-bomber attacks on his country and to U.S. occupation of Afghanistan. Chuck Mohan, president Guyanese-American Workers United and a member of the May 1st Coalition, also spoke.

An Ecuadoran children’s dance troupe stole the show—and everyone’s hearts—with a beautiful dance presentation. One of the children spoke, appealing to President Obama not to deport his parents.

Both Nieves Ayress and Victor Toro represented La Peña del Bronx at the rally. Toro, who is currently facing deportation, summarized the key demands of the immigrant rights movement: legalization, stop the raids, reunify families and no conditions or discrimination.

Teresa Gutierrez, co-coordinator of the May 1st Coalition, said: “Several members of the press called the coalition days before the event to ask if the event was cancelled because of the swine flu crisis. Our response was that it was more dangerous to stay at home, not fighting for our rights, than to be at May Day. Our coalition is for keeping the struggle up, on May Day and every day.”

Larry Holmes, a leader of the Bail Out the People Movement, invited everyone to a People’s Economic Summit, which will be held May 31 in tents at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, on the eve of the U.N. Summit on the World Economic Crisis.

Nicolás, representing the Indigenous people of Ecuador and the rest of the continent, spoke on behalf of non-immigrants. “Welcome to this country to all who come in peace and justice,” he said, “but not to Sheriff Arpaio and other racists.”