May Day organizers defy city pressures to cancel May Day march amidst fears of influenza outbreak

[Jorge Mujica]

Press Release

For Immediate Release                                                                                          Press Conference

Attention: News Assignment                                      Thursday, April 30 11:00 am                                                                                Haymarket Memorial

                                                                                   Randolph & Desplaines St.          

                                                                                                                                        Chicago IL

Media Contact:

Jorge Mujica (773) 852-8815

Chris Mahin (773) 726-1284

May Day organizers defy city pressures to cancel May Day march amidst fears of influenza outbreak.

Immigrants and workers, joined together with their supporters, call to go forward with march on May Day for equality, labor rights, legalization and just immigration laws.  

CHICAGO – Using the fear surrounding the swine flu outbreak, anti-immigrant groups, including those in city government, call for a cancellation of the workers' and immigrants' rights demonstration. Immigrants and workers resolve to hold fast and rally with the slogan “without legalization there can be no equal labor rights” despite targeted attacks from the government.    

Father Jose Landaverde said “I was directly contacted by city officials.  They wanted to know if we were canceling the march, they wanted us to agree to wear masks if the march was going to happen.” 

Margarita Klein, Staff Director of Workers United, states: “If people are not allowed to march on May Day because of health concerns, then similar precautions must be taken in other crowded events taking place in Chicago. We will cancel the march when every sporting event, movie showing, church service and class is cancelled.”

While aware of the situation in Mexico City, march organizers wish to express their demands without being singled out because of their country of origin.  May Day is a traditional day to raise grievances dating back over 100 years. Workers and immigrants are under attack and city officials can not discourage May Day organizers from exercising their rights to raise issues that affect millions of people.

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Jorge Mujica