Thursday, 4:30 PM
Workers mark Day Without Immigrants
By Yvonne Abraham, Maria Cramer, Brian Ballou, Globe staff and Catherine Elton, Globe correspondent
In Framingham, much of downtown was shuttered. In New Bedford, a fish processing plant was almost deserted. At Chelsea High School, one in four students stayed home. In Lawrence, workers at a health center showed up for work in white t-shirts. Across the state, workers readied for rallies and parades.
It was all part of the Day Without Immigrants, a nationwide demonstration of work stoppages and rallies meant to demonstrate the contribution of immigrants to the United States, and to call for rights for undocumented immigrants.
"We're asking that there be increased opportunities for legal immigrants, and that undocumented immigrants already here be provided with opportunities to get in line for citizenship," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the Masschusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition.
While immigrant-heavy pockets of the state shut down as immigrants and their supporters joined the nationwide effort, much of the state continued to hum yesterday.
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The work stoppages were the most controversial part of the initiative, with some organizers urging immigrants to flex their muscles, and others cautioning them against it, fearing firings and a backlash.
As it turned out, few workers appear to have stayed home, and many of those who did did so with permission from their employers.
Workers at area hospitals were allowed to use earned time or vacation days to make their statements. At Ethos, an elder care service in Jamaica Plain, immigrants took the day off with permission from management, who supplied frozen meals for yesterday to elders on Friday, sending them letters explaining their support of their immigrant workers.
"We have chosen to experience this day," said Margery Gann, director of Care management at Ethos. "We are proud our drivers took this action, and we are proud to be an agency that supports this action."
Fish processing workers at one New Bedford plant worked the weekend so they could stay at home or join rallies today.
"I've never seen the place as quiet as this as a day that's not a holiday," said Michael Barry, owner of Pier Fish in New Bedford.
"Out of 70 people, only 6 came in today. It was nationwide. All my customers knew what was happening. We got some orders in early on Friday and got them out Saturday and Sunday... They felt it was important and they work for me and I want to keep my workers happy to a degree. I didn't see the benefit in firing them."
Dotted with the Brazilian national colors of green and yellow, downtown Framingham was mostly closed for business yesterday.
Some likely customers, apparently unaware of the day’s happenings, squinted through glass windows or knocked on the doors before reading the notices in the window about the closure.
“We believe this is the best way to get noticed as a big part of the American society,’’ said Delio Lopes, owner of the Pao Brazil Bakery on Waverly Street.
Lopes said he emigrated from Brazil to the U.S. in 1989 with no possessions.
But last year, he bought the popular bakery. That store was open in the morning but closed for the remainder of the day in recognition of the Day Without Immigrants.
“For us, it’s very important to have the same rights as citizens do,’’ said Lopes, 35, who has permanent resident status.
In Jamaica Plain, Wilfredo Martinez, 37, of Puerto Rico tried to yank open the door of Freddy's Market on Centre Street, but found it shut. He had gone to buy cigarettes and said he forgot about the day of protest. But the inconvenience of finding the store closed did not annoy him.
"On the contrary, I feel good about this," he said in Spanish. "We have to support our fellow immigrants. We have to support fellow Hispanics. This is going to remind people of what Hispanics do for the economy."
