Thread: Immigrants to rally for health care, job benefits

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to rally for health care, job benefits
Rev. Jesse Jackson expected to speak
BY NIRAJ WARIKOO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

October 21, 2006

About 2,000 immigrants and other metro Detroiters plan to rally Sunday for universal health care, more job training, and workers' compensation benefits for undocumented employees.

Organized by the Detroit-based coalition group, Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength , the gathering will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Fellowship Chapel, 7707 W. Outer Dr., in Detroit.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson will be a featured speaker.

Members of the faith-based organization are concerned about what they say is a lack of opportunities for Michigan's minorities and the poor.

"I am coming to support people who are not being heard by our elected officials," said the Rev. Tom Sepulveda, pastor of Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church, who will talk about the rights of immigrant workers at the rally.

Many of Sepulveda's parishioners are Latino immigrants, and are concerned about affordable health care and job training. Another concern, he said, is workers compensation benefits.

Right now, undocumented workers injured on the job in Michigan are not eligible for workers' compensation benefits even though they pay into the system , said Juan Escareno, an immigrant organizer with MOSES.

At the forum, State Sen. Hansen Clark, D-Detroit, will discuss plans to introduce a state Senate bill to allow undocumented immigrants to receive workers' compensation benefits if they are injured on the job.

Many of Sepulveda's parishioners are Latino immigrants

This seems to be a national phenomenon that is sending Catholic clergy to the streets in droves across America. These folks need to stay out of politics and in their churches!

About 2,000 immigrants and other metro Detroiters plan to rally Sunday for universal health care, more job training, and workers' compensation benefits for undocumented employees.

You have got to be kidding me. So much for the CHEAP labor illegal employers can't get enough of....might as well hire Americans.

Corporate America has created a monster that has a mighty thrist that will never be satisfied.

So much for the lie that they only come here to work.

Right now, undocumented workers injured on the job in Michigan are not eligible for workers' compensation benefits even though they pay into the system , said Juan Escareno, an immigrant organizer with MOSES.

What? NO employee pays into the workers' compensation program. Workman's compensation is an insurance policy taken out and paid for by the employers.

I don't know of any worker whose pay is deducted for worker's compensation. Is there something unique about Michigan state worker's compensation laws?

We need information on this.

Let them work and rally for benefits in the countries they came from not America.

It's against the law for them to be here and work, period!!

This is, of course, why the left is so hot to legalize these folks. They will then demand an expansion of the welfare state. On the right we have the demand for the "cheap" labor, which we all know is not so cheap. This joining of left and right is a real marriage made in hell.

Since when does living in the shadows mean you are having rallys and out marching in the streets demanding rights?

These illegals are fighting in a way a long time Americans don't fight for.
I think they are teaching us a lesson.