Mass march for immigrant and workers’ rights planned for Minneapolis on May 1
Annual International Workers Day march on Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN – On Tuesday, May 1, a broad coalition of unions, workers organizations, immigrant rights groups, and other community organizations will have a unified march and cultural program in South Minneapolis. The unified march will begin at 3:30 p.m. with short speeches at Lake and Nicollet. At 4 p.m. the march will leave. The march will culminate in a Cultural Program at the Powderhorn Park building at 5:15 p.m. with speakers, music and dance performances.
In response to the anti-immigrant Sensenbrenner bill of 2006, U.S. immigrants began mass mobilizations demanding immigrant and worker’s rights. Since 2007 MIRAC (Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee) has led an annual Immigrant Rights march on May 1. This day is also International Workers Day, which is celebrated around the world to commemorate the struggle for the eight-hour workday. With the Trump administration's escalating attacks on immigrants and workers, the fight for immigrants and workers’ rights are more important than ever.
MIRAC member William Martinez, who is also a union member, said “We will unite in the streets on May 1 against Trump’s attacks on all working people’s rights. Union rights are under attack. Immigrant workers are especially under attack with Trump cruelly ending DACA and TPS and increased raids and deportations. We can defeat these attacks if we unite. That’s what we’ll do on May 1.”
The march demands are: No attacks on immigrants, refugees and Muslims; no more deportations; legalization for all; clean DREAM Act now; restore Temporary Protective Status for Salvadorans and Haitians; adopt the Sanctuary Platform; make Minnesota a Sanctuary State; expand union rights in Minnesota; stop all ‘right to work' (for less) attack; living wage for all; Medicare for all; end to police brutality; community control of the police; climate justice, and end U.S. war and intervention.
As of April 24, 2018 there are currently over 40 different unions and organizations that have endorsed the march including: 320 Members 1st, ACLU of Minnesota, AFSCME 2822, AFSCME 34, AFSCME 3800, American Indian Student Cultural Center – AISCC (UMN), Anti-War Committee, Asian American Organizing Project, Boneshaker Books, Border CrosSing, Communities United Against Police Brutality (CUAPB), De León & Nestor, LLC, Filipinx for Immigrant rights and Racial justice in Minnesota – FIRM, Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Twin Cities, Indivisible Saint Paul, Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM), Interracial Student Movement, Jewish Community Action, Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue, La Raza Student Cultural Center, LatinoAltROCK, MFT 59, Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, Minnesota Cuba Committee, Minnesota Hands off Honduras, Minnesota Peace Action Coalition , Minnesota Workers United, MIRAC – Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Our Revolution Twin Cities, Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, Socialist Party of Twin Cities Metro, The New North, Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Twin Cities IWW, Twin Cities IWW General Defense Committee Local 14, UFCW Local 653, Veterans for Peace Chapter 27 Minneapolis, Welfare Rights Committee, Wisconsin Bail Out The People Movement, Workers World Party – Twin Cities.