Workers To Strike on May Day – Un Dia Sin Inmigrantes
Cosecha and DSA.
Join with DSA and the growing movement to strike on May 1 for what promises to be the biggest workers strike in over a decade! Organizers from Moviemento Cosecha have said that more than 400,000 workers have committed to strike.
Immigrant Rights Organizations, Workers Centers and several unions
have launched this national strike billed as a “day without immigrants” to demonstrate that the country depends on the labor of immigrants and the working class. Thousands of workers have already pledged to strike in what organizers expect to be the largest national strike since the Megamarches of 2006.
As the strike day approaches the pesidents of the Almagamated Transit Union, the Communications Workers of America, the Nation Nurses United, and the United Electrical Workers have urged their members to participate in the strikes, boycotts and protests in an outreach piece organized by Labor for Our Revolution.
Do you have a right to strike?
Can workers strike for political issues ?
What actions can workers at risk of retaliation take to protect themselves?
In the lead up to the Day Without Immigrants in March, the Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL) suggested that their members who wanted to participate should take these precautions to mitigate their risks:
- Tell your employer, in writing, your reason for striking
- Make sure the reason is directly related to your workplace
Inform your employer that you will be back at work on your first workday after the strike.
3. Send the message as a text and keep a copy of the text as evidence.
If you are a member of a union, discuss your strike plans first with your union representative.
See a detailed description of your right to strike and how to protect yourself here. https://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2017/02/24/immigrants-strike-by-the-thousands/
Cosecha is a new nonviolent movement fighting for permanent protection, dignity, and respect for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Their name, "harvest" in Spanish, honors the long tradition of farmworker organizing and the present-day pain of the thousands of undocumented workers whose labor continues to feed the country. Committed to winning real victories for their community, Cosecha believes in using non-cooperation to leverage the power of immigrant labor and consumption and force a meaningful shift in public opinion.
Cosecha emerged from a year and a half of strategic planning by immigrant rights and DREAMer organizers who have watched politicians battle for their votes, only to stall legislation year after year. For this reason, Cosecha doesn't rely on traditional tactics or dance with political parties. Instead, they are going on the offensive and calling for a series of strikes and boycotts to show that this country cannot function without immigrants.
In January DSA was one of many groups to endorse the call by Cosecha for a Dia Sin Inmigrantes on May 1. You will find DSA’s logo on their partners page along with many of our usual allies such as National Nurses United and SEIU. The DSA NPC tasked our Immigrants’ Rights Committee to encourage DSA locals to support Cosecha in areas where Cosecha is active. You can see a map of active Cosecha groups here. http://www.lahuelga.com/getstarted/
Democratic Socialists of America have grown dramatically since the Sanders election. Presently DSA has some 20,000 members and more than 50 local chapters.
Worker protection. Cosecha wants to focus heavily on walkbacks and boycotts as part of worker protection. So getting allies like DSA to show up for those particular actions and campaigns will be key, in addition to May Day participation.
Boycotts are planned for the future. Please watch for announcements.
You can get in touch with the Immigrants’ Rights Committee here http://www.dsausa.org/antiracism
Thank you for all you do.
Duane Campbell. Co- Chair. Immigrants’ Rights Committee
Maria Svart. National Director DSA.