“Queriamos llamar para una junta de la coalicion. Hubo una sugerencia que nos juntemos con representantes locales del PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional), PRD (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) y PAN (Partido Accion Nacional). Pero estos heran grupos Mexicanos. Tenia que ser mas amplio.”

El ano pasado, Arreola fue eligido para servir en un consulado de aconsejadores creado por el Presidente de Mexico, Vicente Fox, para ayudar al los immigrantes en los E.E.U.U.

“Mi amigo penso que el consulado podria patrocinar la junta. Pero esto tampoco era tan amplio.”

Arreola esta and en el bordo ejecutivo del Local 73 SEIU (Union de Empleados de Servicio Internacional). El trabaja de limpieza en las escuelas publicas de Oak Park. El tambien es un miembro activo del Club de Michoacan, una organizacion social de immigrantes del Estado Mexicano de Michoacan. “La union, los clubs, las organizaciones Mexicanas, si, todos tenian que estar presentes. Pero la communidad entera, no solo los immigrantes Mexicanos, tenian que estar representados.”

Entonces una junta fue llamada con este enfoque. Fue un exito, con mas de 30 organizaciones representados en esta coalicion. Arreola explico que, en la proxima etapa, las estaciones de radio en espanol extendieron la palabra hasta el extremecer. Empezando con Rafael ‘El Pistolero’ Pulido en la Que Buena WOJO 105.1 FM, Radio Univision; y otros como Javier Sala, anfitrion de Un Nuevo Dia, en ‘La Tremenda’ WRTO 1200 AM, tambien una estacion de Univision.

No solo cualquier marcha: Un huelga general

La importancia de la marcha no se puede entender solo con numeros. Se tiene que estresar que esto fue una Huelga General. Tomo acabo en un dia de trabajo. Esto significa que 200,000 personas tomaron un dia de trabajo. Miles de trabajadores de cienes de factorias, restaurantes, tiendas de almacenes, y companias de jardineria, salieron del trabajo, o les dijieron a sus gerentes que no irian ese dia. Y miles de estudiantes de la secundaria salieron tambien.

Una punta importante es la funcion que los sindicatos toman en la mobilizacion. Mientras que el Local 73, SEIU Local 1, y otros sindicatos endosaron la marcha, y animaron a sus miembros que participaran, no todos los sindicatos lo apollaron. Areola relato, “Trabajadores me llamaron para decirme que quierian ir a la huelga. Cuando le pidieron a los representantes de sus sindicatos, les dijieron, ‘Si dejan sus trabajos, seran castigados.’”

“Los marchadores fueron trabajadores y sus familias. Esto es una leccion y un reto para un sindicato de commercio como yo, que los trabajadores immigrantes queiren organizar y pelear.”

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The bell she referred to was a replica of the one that rang to start the Mexican revolution nearly 200 years ago. It was carried on the back of a pick-up truck through the streets in the middle of the crowd. Connie and Victor Parra, members of Local 73 Service Employees International Union (SEIU), brought it to Union Park that morning. “My mother was the head of the Mexican Independence Day committee in Chicago 20 years ago. The government of Mexico gave her the bell in recognition of her efforts on behalf of our community,” explained Mrs. Parra.

The ringing of the bell was accompanied through the march by chants of, “Que queremos? Amnistia! Cuando? Ahora!” [“What do we want? Amnesty! When do we want it? Now!”]

Debate in Washington

Father Marcos, another organizer for the march, said he knew of children in his parish that were alone at home, with no food in the house, because their parents had both been deported.

Congressman Luis Gutierrez addressed the rally, condemning the raids on immigrants that are being carried out by the Department of Homeland Security, through its Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm. “President Bush can't have it both ways. He can't claim to favor legalization for the undocumented immigrants on the one hand, and then carry out raids, deporting workers and breaking up families.”

Gutierrez wants Bush to cease until the Congress completes its debate on the different legislation that has been adopted by the House and the Senate. The House bill, called the Sensenbrenner Bill or HR4437, was the vicious attack that started the protest movement this spring. It would make all undocumented workers criminals, as well as anyone who aids them. The Senate bill is less severe, but it falls far short of the demands of the mass movement that seeks amnesty for all undocumented workers.

Next Steps

Jose Artemio Arreola, a co-chair of the March 10th Movement, was present at the rally as well. The coalition of local organizations has recently announced plans for a national conference to be held in Chicago Aug. 11-13. This conference will be devoted to continuing the struggle. “We don't support any of the bills in Washington,” commented Arreola, “but we want the politicians to listen to us. We will tell them what the people need: No deportations, no guest worker program and legalization for all. After we have that, we need a visa procedure that grants immigrant workers full labor rights.”

Already there are plans underway for another massive mobilization in Chicago for the week around Labor Day, the U.S. holiday for workers. “From International Workers Day to U.S. Labor Day, immigrant workers continue to demand full equality,” concluded Arreola.

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“When we wanted to call for a coalition meeting, it was suggested that we bring together local representatives of PRI , PRD , and PAN . But these are Mexican parties. It had to be broader,” Arreola explained.

Last year, Arreola was elected to serve on an advisory council created by Mexican President Vicente Fox to aid immigrants in the U.S. “My friend thought the council could sponsor the meeting. This also was not broad enough.”

Arreola is on the executive board of Local 73 SEIU (Service Employees International Union.) He works as a janitor in the Oak Park public schools. And he is an active member in the Michoacan Club, a social organization of immigrants from the Mexican state of Michoacan. “The union, the clubs, the Mexican parties, yes, all of them needed to be present. But the entire community, and not just Mexican immigrants, had to be represented.”

So a meeting was called with this approach. It was successful, with over 30 organizations represented in the coalition. Arreola explained that, in the next stage, the Spanish radio stations spread the word far and wide. Starting with Rafael 'El Pistolero' Pulido, on “Que Buena,” WOJO 105.1FM, Univision Radio; then others joined, such as Javier Salas, host of “Un Nuevo Día,” on “La Tremenda,” WRTO 1200 AM, also a Univision station.

Not Just Any March: A General Strike

The importance of this march can't be understood by the numbers alone. It has to be stressed that this was a general strike. It took place on a workday. This means that 200,000 people took off work. Tens of thousands of workers – from hundreds of factories, restaurants, grocery stores and landscaping companies – walked out of work, or told their managers they wouldn't be coming in that day. And thousands of high school students walked out as well.

One important note is the role that unions played in the mobilization. While SEIU Local 73, SEIU Local 1 and some other unions endorsed the rally, and encouraged some of their members to come out, not all unions were supporting it. Arreola related, “Workers called me to tell me they wanted to come for the general strike. When they asked their union representatives, however, they were told, 'If you leave work, you will be punished.'”

Arreola added, “The marchers were workers and their families. This is a lesson and a challenge for trade unionists, like myself, that immigrant workers want to organize and fight.”

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