May Day is Immigrants' Rights Day
This May Day (International Workers' Day) Ask Yourself How Many Immigrants You Know Working As Nannies?
Today is May Day and is also known as International Workers' Day but should be called Immigrants' Rights Day.
On the first of May, workers throughout the world demonstrate for better working conditions, socio-economic equality, universal health care, education, and the right to unionize and strike.
In the 1880s the America's factories and mines employed hundreds of thousands of new immigrants – German, Irish, Mexican, Chinese, and eastern Europeans – and tens of thousands of African Americans who had just won their freedom.
Workers had 12, 14, and even 16-hour work days, for miserable wages and in dangerous conditions. Thousands of working-class families couldn’t find work and often starved.
In 1886 the labor movements united to demand a shorter work day of eight-hours. On May 1st 1886, more than 60,000 Chicago workers went out on strike to establish an eight-hour work day. Not only were protesters and police hurt and killed during the protests, in 1887 four leaders of the strike were hanged.
In recognition of the 1886 protests, workers continue to celebrate May Day as International Workers Day.
Right now, millions of immigrant workers from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and elsewhere have come to the United States, bringing their own experience in union struggles. They have always known that May Day is the workers’ day so they continue to have marches throughout the United States.
This May Day ask yourself how many immigrant nannies and domestic workers you know working in America today? Ask yourself if some immigrants you know that are working for 12, 14, even 16-hours per day, for measly wages, and expected to perform terrible duties?
Today there are marches in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Boston, and many other cities across the United States.
This May Day, let's be thankful for the jobs we do have, the benefits we do receive, and for an even more profitable future for all nannies and domestic workers (immigrant or citizen) in America.
Probably true but there are reasons for it. If the US wasn't so hard to get a work visa many nannies wouldn't have to do it. Many aupair programs are only for 18 to 26 year olds. Not very fair to those nannies older than 26 who want to have a working holiday. Even the UK the age range for a working holiday visa is 18 to 30.
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