May Day March and Rally: Jobs for All! Immigrants' Rights Are Workers' Rights.
Saturday, May 1, International Workers' Day
SW Park and Salmon
11am: Entertainment and Sign-making
12pm: Rally
1pm: March
Portland, OR-- April 27, 2010 – With the recent passage of the racist anti-immigrant bill SB1070 in Arizona, which gives police the authority to stop anyone who looks undocumented, Portland labor, immigrants' rights, and community groups will be gathering in solidarity with people all over the world facing economic crisis, discrimination, and police brutality.
Organizers aim to draw attention to alarming developments locally: Already programs aiming to use police as an arm of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are underway, starting in Clackamas and threatening to spread across the metro region. Their role is largely unregulated and unchallenged, resulting in programs that lack transparency, accountability, and oversight.
From bean-bagging twelve-year-olds to off duty road rage to outright murder, police violence has increased over the past few months, aimed at the most oppressed groups, including African Americans and the homeless. Portlanders are demanding more citizen oversight and real consequences for police officers responsible, most of whom have a history of violations.
This year's march comes in the middle of an economic crisis that has hit Oregonians with more than 10% official unemployment, which does not include those forced to work part time or those who have dropped off the unemployment rosters. Rather than scapegoating immigrants or the working poor, labor and anti-sweatshop organizers are pinning responsibility on the large corporations, like the financial industry and Nike. While speaking out against a minor tax increase, Nike was refusing to take responsibility for its subcontractor's failure to pay severance to 1700 laid off Honduran workers.
The Portland May Day Coalition is made up of grassroots community organizations, labor unions, faith communities, and individuals.
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Saturday, May 1, International Workers' Day
SW Park and Salmon
11am: Entertainment and Sign-making
12pm: Rally
1pm: March
Portland, OR-- April 27, 2010 – With the recent passage of the racist anti-immigrant bill SB1070 in Arizona, which gives police the authority to stop anyone who looks undocumented, Portland labor, immigrants' rights, and community groups will be gathering in solidarity with people all over the world facing economic crisis, discrimination, and police brutality.
Organizers aim to draw attention to alarming developments locally: Already programs aiming to use police as an arm of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) are underway, starting in Clackamas and threatening to spread across the metro region. Their role is largely unregulated and unchallenged, resulting in programs that lack transparency, accountability, and oversight.
From bean-bagging twelve-year-olds to off duty road rage to outright murder, police violence has increased over the past few months, aimed at the most oppressed groups, including African Americans and the homeless. Portlanders are demanding more citizen oversight and real consequences for police officers responsible, most of whom have a history of violations.
This year's march comes in the middle of an economic crisis that has hit Oregonians with more than 10% official unemployment, which does not include those forced to work part time or those who have dropped off the unemployment rosters. Rather than scapegoating immigrants or the working poor, labor and anti-sweatshop organizers are pinning responsibility on the large corporations, like the financial industry and Nike. While speaking out against a minor tax increase, Nike was refusing to take responsibility for its subcontractor's failure to pay severance to 1700 laid off Honduran workers.
The Portland May Day Coalition is made up of grassroots community organizations, labor unions, faith communities, and individuals.
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