Hundreds of workers, a large number of them Latino immigrants, commemorated International Workers’ Day in New York on Monday with a march that covered several streets in lower Manhattan. This with the aim of demanding better working conditions and wages, the right to employment for undocumented immigrants, that sex work be legalized, and respect.
Slogans “United workers will never be defeated” and “Yes, we can” by farmworker rights activist César Chávez (1927-1993) were loudly heard at the march. In which nine organizations from various sectors participated, including the defense of immigrants or prisoners, unions or legal services.
Street vendors, domestic workers, restaurant employees, cleaners, porters, construction workers with their protective helmets. As well as the LGBT community and transgender sex workers, among many others, gathered this Monday in the popular Washington Square, a few steps from New York University. Where a festive atmosphere reigned, between Latin music and banners, and they made their claims known.
One of them is that the City Council approve the bill that would prevent unjustified dismissals since it would force the employer to give an explanation.
Also that the state legislature give its approval to the project that would create the “Unemployment Bridge Program.” Mainly aimed at workers without a work permit, domestic workers and independent workers. What would allow them to have an economic income if they lose their job, a situation that thousands experienced during the covid pandemic.
Latinos led the march for Labor Day in New York
This was the claim of Carmen Canela, who works in the restaurant industry, a single mother with three children. I don’t have unemployment insurance and I’m not the only one. We left looking for a better future and we found an uncertain future,” said the woman. All this amid cheers from other workers, who carried signs (several in Spanish) such as “the workers’ struggle has no borders.” She also “support immigrant workers”, “excluded never again” or “without essential workers the United States is nothing.”
Construction workers made their voices heard for safety at their place of employment and to demand a wage of $40 an hour in a job that has cost many their lives, a large number of them Latinos.
This year, transgender sex workers who are seeking to have their activity legalized were also present.
“I am here to make it clear that sex work is work, that we demand rights and protections,” said Nathan Brown. He assured that since she arrived in New York she has been discriminated against for being a transgender woman. A situation that he pointed out has been experienced by others just like her, which is why they have not been able to find a job.
«I have gone to different places to apply for a job, they look me up and down, they tell me that they are going to call me and they never do. Because of this, many women in my community end up doing sex work in order to send money back to their families. To pay their debts and put food on the table,” said the Latina. She also stated that “it is about time” the state legislature decriminalized “the buying and selling of adult sex.”
The workers marched from there, to the sound of drums and other instruments, through the streets of New York, to the surprise of many while others took photos or recorded the colorful protest.