Thread: Latinos march over firings

Latinos march over firings
Published: 8/28/2007 5:03

Five months after they were abruptly fired from their jobs, dozens of Latinos who said they hadn't received severance pay returned Monday to their former West Chicago workplace to protest.

"It's been very difficult from one day to the next," Aurora resident Celsa Brito Guadarrama, who worked at WinCup Inc. for eight years, said in Spanish. "We all have families to sustain."

More than 100 workers -- all Latinos -- say they were fired in March without notice or cause from the manufacturer, which produces cups for restaurants.

The former WinCup employees said they were replaced with temporary workers.

WinCup representatives declined to comment.

It's unclear whether the workers' immigration status had anything to do with the firings. The workers' representatives have alleged that they were fired because the company could get others to do the work for less money.

The ex-employees say their rights as workers -- regardless of immigration status -- were violated.

The firings galvanized the local Latino community, which has existed in some form for more than 100 years, to educate themselves on their rights for the first time, said Tim Bell, executive director of the Chicago Workers Collaborative, a group helping to organize the workers.

Workers Monday morning held a news conference to demand that WinCup give each former employee two weeks of pay for every year of service.

"If WinCup doesn't pay, we'll go to their clients," former employee Jose Correa of West Chicago said in Spanish.

About 50 workers drove to the factory at 1425 Hawthorne Lane, parked across the street and walked slowly across the lawn to WinCup's door. It was locked. For the next 10 minutes, the group clapped their hands and chanted, "Let us in."

Bell called to those inside, telling them that the workers were there peacefully.

Jaime Dubon, pastor at West Chicago's St. Andrew Lutheran Church, said a prayer and shoved a petition under the door as a television crew and reporters looked on.

Employees on the other side of the glass door stared out and talked quickly on their cell phones. Others at windows peered at the crowd.

Latino workers are becoming more willing to take bold steps such as the march in part because the rights they are fighting for seem to be slipping away, Bell said.

Immigration reform legislation failed to pass; the government soon will start sending thousands of no-match letters to employers, identifying employees with incorrect social security numbers; and penalties are increasing for those who employ illegal immigrants.

"They have no choice but to take stronger actions," Bell said. "They have less to lose."

Workers from Central Ink Corp., also in West Chicago, joined the crowd Monday in support.

Among them was Jose E. Llamas, who told former WinCup employees, "If we don't help you, who's going to help us?"

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=26574

The workers' representatives have alleged that they were fired because the company could get others to do the work for less money.

Gee, how ironic. I guess they finally know how it feels to get undercut by other workers willing to work for lower wages. So when they do it to someone else it's OK, but when someone does it to them, they bitch and moan. Go figure.

Where exactly was ICE when this was taking place. If they were arrested and deported the protests would stop. Looks like contrary to "Diver Ted" (Kennedy) they're coming out of the shadows without amnesty!

The ex-employees say their rights as workers -- regardless of immigration status -- were violated.

If they are working illegaly, what worker rights do they have?

The ex-employees say their rights as workers -- regardless of immigration status -- were violated.

If American citizens are failing to have the "right" to have their laws enforced.....what makes them think they should have rights?

Originally Posted by reptile09

The workers' representatives have alleged that they were fired because the company could get others to do the work for less money.

Gee, how ironic. I guess they finally know how it feels to get undercut by other workers willing to work for lower wages. So when they do it to someone else it's OK, but when someone does it to them, they bitch and moan. Go figure.

LMAO How can they complain that someone else is willing to work for less to feed their families. Certainly these illegals know all too well the plight of those newcomers, so they should just shut up and move on like they expect us to. If you lie about having a degree to get a job and the employer finds out, you're fired. You don't have the right to demand they keep you on the job...

I thought they were fired because they SS numbers did not match with Social Security Administration and they were given time to set matters straight and did nothing or was this a difference incident?

They are beginning to think they have a right to work using illegal documents. They are getting bolder means we have to work harder to convience Reps. that they have no right to be here or to work here.

"It's been very difficult from one day to the next," Aurora resident Celsa Brito Guadarrama, who worked at WinCup Inc. for eight years, said in Spanish. "We all have families to sustain."

Hello 8 years isn't enough time to learn English?????

The ex-employees say their rights as workers -- regardless of immigration status -- were violated.

This isn't a red flag as to what their immigration status is??? When are these people going to get it? They have no Rights in this Country beyond human rights! They want severance pay? Give them a bus ride all the way home!

BOO HOO _ WAH! WAH! Sorry this is all I can muster up to say being that I cannot find a job that I qulaify for, becasue of one thing, "I don't speak Spanish"

Originally Posted by loulou

BOO HOO _ WAH! WAH! Sorry this is all I can muster up to say being that I cannot find a job that I qulaify for, becasue of one thing, "I don't speak Spanish"

Hi loulou and Welcome to ALIPAC.

Hopefully we can turn this bi-lingual trend around.

I have not confirmed it yet,I was told our local Wal-Mart requires you to be bi-lingual for employement.