CALL FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR WORKERS RIGTHS AGAINST NO MATCH LETTERS, RAIDS AND DEPORTATIONS

A federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking the government from implementing a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that would cause U.S. citizens and other authorized workers to lose their jobs, and which would illegally use error-prone social security records as a tool for immigration enforcement. The judge's order also stops the Social Security Administration (SSA) from beginning to send notices on Tuesday to approximately 140,000 employers across the country notifying them of the new rule, which would impact approximately eight million workers.

The order comes as a result of a lawsuit filed on Wednesday by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and the Central Labor Council of Alameda County along with other local labor movements. A hearing on the group's request to permanently bar the implementation of the DHS rule is cheduled for October 1.

The new rules presented by the Bush administration and Secretary Chertoff are the latest attack on workers and families and employers.

Employers are likely to respond to "The No Match Letters" in four different ways: ignoring them; seeking legal advice to retain their workforce; firing workers for fear of Homeland Security fines, and using "The No Match Letters" to get rid of "undesirable workers" (more seniority, union-organized, higher wage-high benefit workers.)

We propose a combined set of actions against "The No Match Letters", in coordination with labor, community organizations, employers, companies, faith organizations and others.

The campaign will be directed against George Bush and Michael Chertoff, since "The No Match letters", raids and deportations) are executive decisions.

Congress does not have a role to play in this, since they are not likely to retake the Immigration Reform issue.

1.-        On September 12th, we should have a press conferences on a least 100 cities calling for and announcing a National Day of Action for October 12th, 2007 against raids, deportations and "The No Match letters". The central demand is to stop all three actions; to get a "truce" from George Bush-Michael Chertoff. Workers should not be punished for Congress' failure to act on immigration reform.

2.-        The same day, we would extend an invitation, to several companies to join us in this fight for workers rights campaign. We want them to support and commit to workers and the immigrant communities, No to raids, No to deportations and No Match letters, and contribute with money and resources (lobby, etc.) to our campaign.

3.-        October 12th should be a National Day of Action for the "truce". Each coalition-organization should organize its own activity, whether a march, rally, sit-in, workshop against No Match, press conference with powerful leaders.   

4.-        During the 30 days between September and October 12th, we are asking to have local actions (rallies, marches, participation in radio programs, TV news, press conferences etc.) against ICE and the SSA, to build up the movement for the National Day of Action for workers rights Against No Match, Raids and Deportations.