Join the Congress of Day Laborers in a March and Second Line in Celebration of May Day- International Workers' Day this Friday, May 1st, 2009 starting at Armstrong Park.
WHEN: May 1st, 2009, 12:00 Noon
WHAT/WHY: Day Labor Congress and their community allies will March and Second Line on City Hall and Department of Labor: Workers call on officials to stop wage theft and ICE raids as well as demanding comprehensive Immigration reform in conjunction with demonstrations across the country
WHERE: Louis Armstrong Park 901 N. Rampart St. (continuing to DOL and City Hall see route below)
ROUTE: Begin at Armstrong Park, march to Canal Street, turn left onto Canal Street, turn right onto St. Charles Avenue, turn left onto St. Maestri Place (Stop at the Department of Labor), turn left onto Camp Street, turn left onto Poydras Street, turn right on South Rampart , END at 1300 Perdido Street
(City Hall).
BACKGROUND:
On May 1st, 2009 the Congress of Day Laborers, a membership based worker lead organization of reconstructions workers who look for work on numerous street corners across New Orleans will march against wage theft and demand immigration reform.
Day laborers formed the Congress in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to fight for dignity and defend themselves against brutal exploitation at the hands of contractors, the police, and immigration authorities.
In the last three years the Congress has fought the rampant wage theft perpetrated against day laborers who have come to rebuild the city. On May 1st they will march to expose three egregious contractors whose projects were financed by Local, State and Federal funding and owe workers thousands of dollars in unpaid wages. The Congress is demanding that City Council work with the Congress of Day Laborers to create new policies to attack wage theft.
The Congress, a project of the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice, is coordinating efforts with Immigrant rights organizations across the U.S. who have reclaimed labor day to demand comprehensive immigration reform, and equal rights for all workers.
If you can support the May 1st March by helping with transportation or legal observation please contact Colette Tippy at (504) 881-6550.
For more background information on the workers struggle and the Day Labor Congress, visit the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice website at: http://www.nowcrj.org
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