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May Day 2006: 1.5 Million Call for Immigrants Rights with el Gran Paro Nacional

IMC-US, 04.05.2006

The first of May has been a significant day for workers around the world since the Haymarket massacre interrupted the fight for an 8-hour day over a century ago. This year, though, Americans claimed International Workers Day for the cause of immigrants rights. The result is being called the largest single day of protests in US history.

An estimated 1.5 million people across the contry skipped work and school and refrained from making purchases to demonstrate how immigrants matter in US economy and society. Immigrants make up 14 percent of the US workforce and account for over half of its growth in the past decade. The protests continue months of intense opposition to the anti-immigrant HR4437, which passed in the House of Representatives in December of 2005. No parallel bill has yet passed in Senate.

Highlights: Huelga General in Los Angeles || California sees multiple 100,000+ marches || El Pueblo Unido: 700,000 march in a historic May Day in Chicago || Foros de Inmigracion in Philadelphia

Related: Democracy Now Coverage || May 1 Video Network || Commentary by KPFK's Sonali Kolhatkar || Portland IMC May Day Page

» IMC-US May Day 2006 coverage
» IMC-US immigrants rights coverage archive







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