Important Developments in Labor and Immigrant Rights

CUBS GET OUT OF ARIZONA!

Click to Sign Petition to Move Cubs Spring Training to Florida

Click to Sign Petition to Move the All-Star out of Arizona

CWC Executive Director, Leone Jose Bicchieri, leads protest at Wrigley Field on 04/29/10 Photo: New York Times

Braves Fans protest Diamondbacks

Latino Groups Protest at Braves/Diamondbacks Game, NBC Channel 11 Atlanta, 05/15/10

The Braves come home to the D-backs, KJ, LaRoche and a protest, Atlanta Constitution, 05/14/10

Miami, Colorado and L.A. prepare to rattle the D-Backs!  Click for upcoming schedule

Marlins Fans Plan Protests against Diamondbacks 05/17/10

Immigration rights activists plan protest at Diamondbacks-Marlins game, Sporting News, 05/17/10

Shame on the American Bar Association!

Despite 265 Cancellations, Lawyers to Meet in Arizona, NPR, 05/12/10

On Tuesday, 05/11/10, CWC participated in a delegation to ABA President, Carolyn Lamm, to ask her to reschedule the "Equal Justice Conference" scheduled for Phoenix, Arizona this weeked and to join fellow lawyers from National Legal Aid Defenders Assocation who pulled out. The cruel irony of holding a "Equal Justice Conference" in a state that endorses treating lawyers (and all community members of color) as "reasonably suspicious" and violating every principle of true equal justice cannot be ignored.

Victory for Workers! Wage Theft Bill Passes Both Houses of Illinois General Assembly May 3, 2010

The Chicago Workers Collaborative, together with Latino Union, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, the Working Hands Legal Clinic and many other organizations, have been successful with the groundbreaking Senate Bill SB3568 in the Illinois

"This new law will safeguard worker wages and deter employers from committing wage theft."

Group protests Astros-Diamondbacks game, KTRK ABC News Houston, May 5, 2010

Dozens show up at Minute Maid Park to protest Ariz. law, Houston Chronicle, May 5, 2010

View Video of CWC protest and Boycott Arizona plane flying over Wrigley Field

May 1, 2010 - About 500 Protesters from across the northwest suburbs marched for immigration reform in Palatine, IL. The marchers then rallied at St. Juan Diego Mission in Arlington Heights. Click to see Daily Herald photos and article. 

Click here to see slideshow.

May 1, 2010- - On Thursday, the CWC led an action to inform baseball fans and players about Arizona's discriminatory immigration law, SB 1070. Our members and supporters passed out leaflets and held up a large banner in front of Wrigley Field before the game between the Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks. Several of our supporters chartered a small airplane to fly over Wrigley pulling a banner that said, "Shame on Arizona! Reform not Racism!" Yesterday we went back and continued to leaflet. We will do the same today and tomorrow. Now Congressmen, players and even Ozzie Guillen, manager of the White Sox, have joined in to demand a repeal of SB 1070.

Why Protest? Get the Facts:

Click here for the Arizona State Senate Fact Sheet on SB 1070

Rallies expect boost after Ariz. immigration law, Associated Press, 5/1/10

Players’ union opposes law, The Spokesman Review/Associated Press 5/1/10

Ozzie Guillen sounds off on Arizona immigration bill controversy, New York Daily News, 5/1/10

Padres weigh in on Arizona law, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/1/10

Citing MLB's large foreign population, players' union exec blasts Arizona's new immigration law, New York Daily News, 4/29/10

CWC worker activist, Claudia Galeno, calls on people of good conscience to not spend money on businesses, including sports teams, based in Arizona on Thursday, 4/29/10.

Boycott Arizona! CWC Organizes Protest against D-Backs at Wrigley Field

Photo, Huffington Post

Diamondbacks Face Backlash Over Immigration Law, New York Times, 4/29/10 (pdf of article)

Protesters of Arizona's new immigration law try to focus boycotts, Washington Post, 4/30/10

Diamondbacks see immigration law protests in Chicago, USA Today, 4/29/30

Immigrant rights activists boycott Diamondbacks-Cubs game, The Arizona Republic, 4/30/10

D-backs catch immigration heat in Chicago, Phoenix Business Journal, 4/29/10

Activists boycott Diamondbacks-Cubs game, KTAR Phoenix, 4/29/10

Immigrant Rights Picket at Wrigley Field: Boycott Arizona!, Gapers Block.org 4/29/10

Protest At Wrigley Field Over Arizona Immigration Law (PHOTOS), Huffington Post, 4/30/10

Arizona D-Backs Play In Chicago, SB 1070 Protests Follow, RaceWire, 4/29/10

Wrigley Rally: Immigrant Rights Protesters Target Arizona, Chicago Tonight, 4/29/10

Protest at Wrigley Field over AZ Immigration Law, WGNTV Chicago, 4/29/10

Immigration protest outside Diamondbacks-Cubs game, Chicago Daily Herald, 4/29/10

Activists boycott Diamondbacks-Cubs game, WLS ABC Chicago, 4/29/10

PHOTOS: Wrigley Immigration Protest, WMAQ NBC Chicago, 4/29/10

Protest Against Ariz. Law at Wrigley, Fox News, Chicago, 4/29/10

Activists boycott Diamondbacks-Cubs game, WBBM-AM, 4/29/10

Protesta en juego de los diamondbacks, Univision, 4/29/10

Boicot contra Arizona, Telemundo, 4/29/10

                         Illinois is not Arizona! Reform not Racism!

24 religious, labor and community leaders say, "stop criminalizing workers!" The vans were taking immigrant workers to O'Hare Airport to be deported. Click here to see slideshow.

24 activists, including CWC Board President, Father Brendan Curran, blocked vans loaded with immigrants this morning in front of the Broadview, IL ICE processing center. The vans carried shackled immigrant workers, mothers and fathers, whose crime was to work to feed their families. Police hauled the protesters away as they shouted, "Illinois is not Arizona!".

CWC worker activist Jesynia Rodriguez and other activists explained the significance of this morning's actions on NBC news. (04-27-10)

"If we don't push as hard as possible for immigration reform, one of the consequences is going to be more racial profiling, like is happening right now in Arizona," CWC Director, Leone Bicchieri, ABC News. (04-27-10)

CWC original founder, Father Chuck Dahm, speaks out prior to being arrested. Deportations have broken apart many immigrant families in his Parish, St. Pius V.

"Bad Employers, the USDOL is Back!"

So announced Hilda Solis, Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor. Members of the Chicago Workers Collaborative joined Secretary Solis at University of Illinois for the national launch of "We Can Help", a campaign to fight wage theft across the country. Secretary Solis announced that she has hired hundreds of new investigators to go after exploitative employers who steal workers' wages. "This is good for employers who respect laws. Companies which commit wage theft gain an unfair advantage."

Other workers and organizers from the Just Pay for All campaign also joined in with the Labor Secretary who swore "Zero Tolerance" for wage thieves.

CWC Director, Leone Jose Bicchieri, "workers must organize in their workplace and then call the DOL," Telemundo, 04-01-10.

CWC member, Maria Gonzalez, Duraco worker, describes the horrible exploitation workers face, Univision, 04-01-10.

Representative Hernandez explains how SB3568 will combat wage theft.

State Rep. Lisa Hernandez led a press conference today to announce major legislation that she will push in the Illinois House. SB3568, sponsored by William Delgado in the Senate, criminalizes wage theft and increases enforcement against employers who steal wages from their employees.

About 50 workers victimized by wage theft and their supporters rallied in support of the initiative. The Chicago Workers Collaborative, Latino Union, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos and the Working Hands Legal Clinic were joined by labor and community leaders at the event held downtown in front of the Thompson Center.

Click to see slideshow of the press event

"My co-workers have had their homes foreclosed because our bosses, the Lynches, stole our wages," Patricia Seidel, former Duraco worker.

Press Reports on SB3568

State Senator Delgado to Propose Wage Theft Legislation, WGN (03/08/10)

Activists Praise IL Bill on Wage Theft, AP (03/08/10)

Workers unite with elected officials to stop wage theft, Telemundo (03/08/10)

Lisa Hernandez announces bill, Univision (03/08/10)

Introducen Proyecto de Ley contra el Robo de Salarios, La Raza Newspaper (03/10/10)

Thirty plaintiffs, all ex-employees of Duraco Products, Inc., filed suit in Federal Court for hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages against Kevin Lynch and Michael Lynch individually, in their capacity as owners and operators of Duraco.

Workers and the CWC held a press conference to announce the filing of the suit on Thursday, March 4, 2010.

Though Duraco went into reorganization under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code, the suit claims the Lynches consistently and knowingly created a scheme to not pay their workers. Some of these plaintiffs worked many months while receiving only a few paychecks, doled out only to entice them into continuing to work so that Lynches could profit.

Once notified of the workers' intention to seek justice with the help of their attorneys and community organizers, the workers charge that the Lynches took intimidating and retaliatory actions against some of them. Through all of this, workers have suffered much economic and emotional hardship including the loss of their homes, families, and aspirations.

Click to see slideshow of protest

PRESS COVERAGE OF SUIT FILED

Duraco Workers Sue Executives to Target Personal Assets, Daily Herald (03/05/10)

Suit for Wages, Hoy Newspaper (03/05/10) 

Workers at Bankrupt Factory Sue for Wages, Chicago Media Workshop's "Newstips" blog (03/04/10)

Suit for their Wages, Telemundo (03/04/10)

40 ex-employees stood in front of the locked gates at Duraco Products, in Streamwood, IL and announced that they had shut down the company.

Now they demand that the former owners, Michael W Lynch and Kevin Lynch, pay them for their work (2-22-10).

Photo (from right to left): CWC Executive Director, Leone Bicchieri, CWC leaders and former Duraco employees, Brenda Rodriguez and Kim Cambra

Press Reports on Duraco Products Protest:

Former Duraco Workers Demand Back Pay, Chicago Sun Times (2-23-10)

Workers Seek Payment from Shuttered Duraco, Daily Herald (2-23-10)

They Demand the Company Pay their Salaries, Front Page, Hoy Newspaper Complete Story (2-23-10)

Workers Protest for Stolen Wages, Univision (2-22-10)

African-American and Latino Workers Rally for Jobs and Immigration Reform

Reverend Tyson (left) and Ali Kabba, Executive Director of the United African Organization applaud the message of Reverend Janet Wilson (right) of Rainbow Push.

Click to see slideshow

Full Citizenship and Full Employment for Full Equality (01/16/10)

1,200 workers from throughout the Chicago region came together at the First Baptist Congregational Church to volunteer and fight for a community jobs program and the legalization of our nations 12 million undocumented immigrants. Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. joined Bishop John Manz and many other faith-based, union and community leaders to relate the need for an urban agenda that will legalize 12 million undocumented workers and create thousands of community jobs to address chronic unemployment. Bills to address these needs are pending in the U.S. Congress. U.S. Reps Jan Schakowsky and Luis Gutierrez pledged to fight for the Urban Agenda.

Immigration Rally Invokes Doctor King, Chicago Sun Times

Church Hosts Immigration Rally, MLK Celebration, ABC News

Dozens of worker activists from the Chicago Workers' Collaborative from the city and northwest suburbs rallied for Jobs and Immigration Reform.

Select/Remedy latest day labor agency slammed for abusing workers

Workers allege that national staffing agency operated illegally in utter defiance of the Illinois Temporary and Day Labor Service Act.(12/10/09)

Workers Demand that Select/Remedy comply with Illinois law

ICE Continues to Escalate its Low Intensity War on Immigrant Workers

ICE announced that it served 1,000 businesses with audit notices this week. Businesses were selected for inspection as a result of investigative leads and their relationship to "public security". "The real security threat of senior janitors and foodservice personnel in such enterprises is absurd," said CWC Executive Director, Leone Jose Bicchieri, in an interview with Telemundo.

Audits will lead to the firing of thousands of low-wage immigrant workers with years of seniority and accrued benefits. Audited companies will benefit by by getting rid of higher paid workers, replacing them with workers at entry-level pay rates with no benefits. Companies will hire temp agencies and other subcontractors to bring in immigrants paid at minimum rates or less without benefits. "All ICE has accomplished with this enforcement action is increase worker exploitation while forcing many older workers into unemployment situations where they can't provide for their kids, the vast majority of whom are U.S. Citizens," said Bicchieri (11/19/09).

CWC Denounces ICE's Renewed Attacks on Immigrant Workers

"Strong-Arm" Tactics Continue, Telemundo (11/19/09)

Immigrant Advocates Slam Federal Audits, National Public Radio (11/20/09)

Press Coverage of Historic Charges, 10-20-09 

Ex-workers say suburban businesses broke state law, Associated Press                               

Fired hotel workers challenge e-verify use, NPR  

Trabajadores Denuncian al Red Roof Inn, Univision Despidos en el Red Roof Inn, La Raza Newspaper  CWC and Allies Press Release

Protests, Firings of Immigrant Workers Continue. . .

"Tuesday, representatives of Chicago Workers Collaborative and Immigrant Solidarity DuPage visited two companies which allegedly fired long-term workers on the basis of possible errors with their social security numbers." Hoy Newspaper, Chicago, 09/02/2009

Action

for

Immigration Reform

Click to See Full Press Conference

October 3, 2009

After 3 months of conducting prayer vigils in front of Melissa Bean's 10th District Congressional office, the community poured into her office with letters firmly requesting a meeting to discuss immigration. Father Juan Bosco, Mision San Juan Diego Church, explained to Rep. Bean's staff that the 3000 families in his parish are fed up and need immigration reform now.

September 30, 2009

Immigrants and supporters visit 10th District U.S. Rep., Mark Kirk

"You can't ignore us now!"

Click to view Slide Show

YUM! Brands National Day of Action. Chicago Workers stage Loop protest. Telemundo report

Yum Brands workers and their supporters in 30 cities denounce the world's largest restaurant corporation for unjustly firing and discriminating- against Latino workers. Slide show (7/10/09) Chi*Town News report

August 21

More than 50 faithful pray in front of Rep. Melissa Bean's office. The vigils completed a second month of biweekly vigils for Immigration Reform in front of the Schaumburg office.

Click to view slide show

August 12

MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVE BEAN'S DISTRICT DIRECTOR.

Priests for Justice, Vicariate 1 Office of Hispanic Ministries, Chicago Workers Collaboratives meet with Nick Jordan, the congresswoman's district director. The group asked for the congresswoman to sign on to the priniciples for immigration reform. More than 200,000 immigrants live in District 8. No commitment was forthcoming. Vigils will continue.

August 3, 2009

Reprentatives from social justice organizations from across the midwest joined our vigil. The Center for Community Change to discuss strategies for fighting for immigration reform, a single-payer health care system, and economic justice.

July 24, 2009

Vigil for fired workers. During the vigil, workers fired by the Red Roof Inn visited Bean's office. One worker's daughter spoke about how the firings were hurting workers' U.S. citizen kids.

Click here to view slideshow

July 17, 2009

12-year old Ivan tells Representative Bean's staff that U.S. Citizen kids of undocumented workers are suffering from their parents getting fired. Ivan's mom was fired by Pizza Hut. Their poverty has worsened.

Click to view Slideshow

60 parishioners prayed for Immigration Reform outside Illinois Congresswomen, Melissa Bean's (D-8) office on Wednesday, June 17th.  CWC is helping to organize the vigils with parishes and workersthroughout the 8th Congressional district.  

Pizza Hut/Yum Brands Ground Zero for Discrimination against Latino Immigrants --After firing hundreds of its long-time Hispanic workers this Spring, workers claim that Pizza Hut has not given a penny to the families of its former senior employees. For this reason, the CWC and Latinos across the Chicago region are letting Pizza Hut customers know that the Pizza giant does not appeal to our sense of fairness or justice. Watch news broadcasts in Spanish. See Justice for Pizza Hut Workers on Facebook. (3/25/09)

CWC's campaign partners are:

Office of Hispanic Catholics, Vicariate I, Archdiocese of Chicago and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.