Jun 16, 2012
Palermos Management Emphasizing Immigration Status of Strikers
From Freedom’s Progress
I just got back from the Palermo’s plant, where workers have been on strike for better working conditions since June 1st. The picket is still as lively as it was when I was able to make it over there last weekend. Other unions at the picket line in support were the Industrial Workers of the World and United Steelworkers.
This has been a new addition to the Palermo’s plant. Management seems to now be stating that the strike is only in regards to immigration. At about 4:30, while myself and a fellow worker were standing in the median showing signs to traffic saying “no justice, no pizza” and “boycott Palermo’s”, a dude in a shiny new-looking Lincoln Navigator showed up asking if we knew what they were striking over. Upon my stating that it’s over poor working conditions and a lack of sick days, he started informing me that every one of the strikers was undocumented and it was purely a matter of immigration status, something we all knew to be false. He didn’t seem to pleased when I said I didn’t give a flying fuck about their immigration status and I stand with any worker in the fight for better working conditions, sarcastically adding that it was nice hearing managements opinion. He did admit that he was a manager, something that was clearly given away by the fanciness of his vehicle.
So then this man, who makes the false claim of this being merely about immigration status, is also saying that if this is the case then one shouldn’t support people simply because their status as citizens is called in to question, as a threat. He’s saying that immigrants don’t matter, but oh, they do. They’re supposed to be good workers who take more shit than anyone else because their status can be put in question. This is the obvious dynamic of what is happening there.