Monday, May 01, 2006
Immigrant Workers on Strike in US
Marvellous stuff for Labor day in the USA. Millions of Immigrant workers in the US are expected to withold their labour today and will be joined by supporters in rallies in major US cities. The demonstrators are protesting about proposed immigration law reforms. The impact of the demonstrations should be significant - as one march organiser puts it,
"You can expect L.A. to be at a standstill almost totally. You will not have truckers. You will not have taxi drivers, garment workers, hotel workers, restaurant workers -- half of the teacher force will not be going to school."
I remember speaking to a Left friend a few months ago who was convinced that the major hope for the Left internationally lies with poor Latino immigrants in the USA. She could be right. According to the BBC the Immigrant protests have been compared to the 60s civil rights movement. Who knows, maybe the Democrats will find a backbone?
"You can expect L.A. to be at a standstill almost totally. You will not have truckers. You will not have taxi drivers, garment workers, hotel workers, restaurant workers -- half of the teacher force will not be going to school."
I remember speaking to a Left friend a few months ago who was convinced that the major hope for the Left internationally lies with poor Latino immigrants in the USA. She could be right. According to the BBC the Immigrant protests have been compared to the 60s civil rights movement. Who knows, maybe the Democrats will find a backbone?
