1.
Repealing the Modern Slave Law: Why
should equal rights for all workers be the
main demand for working people now?
Presented by the Break the Chains Alliance
equalrightsforallworkers.org/ FB @equalrightsforallworkers

2.
Who We Are
The Break the Chains Alliance is a national network of
individuals and organizations that is fighting for equal rights for
all working people, whether you are native- born or immigrant,
blue or white-collared workers.
At this moment, we need to repeal the modern-slave law a
provision of the Immigration Reform and Control Act in order
to achieve equal rights.
Current Organizational Sponsors of the Break the Chains Alliance: , San Pablo Episcopal Church (TX), Rev. Ronnie Lister, New
Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, El Pueblo Primero Community Workers Organization (TX), Asociacion de Trabajadores
Fronterizos (TX), Council on American-Islamic Relations (TX), Chinese Staff & Workers’ Association (NY), National
Mobilization Against Sweatshops (NY), Flushing Workers Center (NY), Working People Lead Tulsa (OK), and others.

3.
The Crisis We Face Today- How Do We Fight It?
“This attack is a response to the Hispanic invasion of
Texas… American jobs are lost to immigrants” - El Paso
shooter
“Trump is to blame” - Beto O’Rourke
“ Our nation must condemn racism,
bigotry, and white supremacy.”

4.
Root Causes of Racism and Divisions Among Workers
● White and black indentured
servants, along with black slaves
came together to fight the planting
class in Virginia.
● To divide and conquer, the elites
gave white indentured servants
freedom and land, then
institutionalized the slavery of black
people.
● U.S. slave laws were the country’s
first immigration and labor law.
BACON’S REBELLION 1676

5.
● Leading up to the Civil War, Irish
immigrants and other European
immigrants had been used to
undercut black workers in Northern
cities.
● Fearful that the emancipation of
slaves would lead to competition for
jobs, Irish immigrants attacked black
workers after the Civil War draft in a
riot that lasted several days.
Root Caues of Racism and Divisions Among Workers
Race Riots (1863)

6.
● Southern states passed laws
that re-enslaved black workers
and maintain an underclass of
workers.
● If black workers did not
present an employment
contract or were found
“loitering,” they would be
arrested and then leased out as
convict laborers.
Root Causes of Racism and Divisions Among Workers
BLACK CODES 1865-1930

7.
● White workers pushed for the
law fearing competition from
Chinese laborers.
● Preceded by state Anti-Coolie
Acts, which stripped Chinese
workers of any rights. These
laws restricted their behavior,
dress, and imposed extra taxes
on Chinese laborers.
Root Causes of Racism and Divisions Among Workers
CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT 1882-1952

8.
● To create an underclass of
workers, the U.S. brought in
Mexicans as guestworkers,
without the same rights as other
workers.
● They were housed in converted
barns or tents without running
water or sanitary facilities.
● Employers would often fire and
re-hire them as undocumented
workers with no rights at all.
Root Causes of Racism and Divisions Among Workers
BRACERO PROGRAM 1942-

9.
● To create an underclass of
workers, the U.S. brought in
Mexicans as guestworkers,
without the same rights as other
workers.
● They were housed in converted
barns or tents without running
water or sanitary facilities.
● Employers would often fire and
re-hire them as undocumented
workers with no rights at all.
Root Causes of Racism and Divisions Among Workers
BRACERO PROGRAM 1942-

10.
Today’s Modern Slave Law- Employers’ Sanctions
Provision of IRCA
Compromise between Reagan and
conservatives, immigrant rights groups,
and the labor unions. Promised to do the
following:
● Protect jobs for Americans
● Boost American economy
● Deter immigration
● Improve conditions for workers
● Amnesty for nearly 3 million
undocumented immigrants at the time
IMMIGRATION REFORM
AND CONTROL ACT 1986

11.
Failed to Protect American Jobs
● As an underclass of
workers with no rights,
employers began to
prefer hiring
undocumented workers.
● Forced U.S. citizens
and documented
workers to compete
with them in a race to
the bottom.
● Ex. trades industry

12.
Failed to deter immigration

13.
What Were the Real Results the Employers’
Sanctions Provision of the Immigration Reform &
Control Act?

14.
What Were the Real Results the Employers’
Sanctions Provision of the Immigration Reform &
Control Act?

15.
Aug 7, 2019- 680 Poultry Workers Arrested in
Morton, MS
● Workers at Koch Foods and Pecos
Foods were targeted after they won
a $3.5 Million EEOC Class-Action
Lawsuit for sexual harassment.
● Supervisors hit and touched Latino
employees inappropriately
● Charged them money for normal
everyday work activities
● Denied bathroom breaks
● Fired for complaining

16.
How the MS Poultry Industry Has Maintained an
Underclass of Workers and Divisions Throughout
Time
Poultry industries
were racially
segregated and
black workers
were excluded
from working in
the industry.
1950s to 1960s

17.
How the MS Poultry Industry Has Maintained an Underclass of
Workers and Divsions Throughout Time
As more people from MS participated
in the civil rights movement
(Mississippi Freedom Summer) and
also as white workers were
demanding better conditions in
poultry plants, plants became racially
integrated. But not without violence
from white workers.
In front of Sunbeam 1965

18.
How the MS Poultry Industry Has Maintained
an Underclass of Workers and Divisions
Throughout Time
Black workers organized in numbers
into the MS Poultry Workers Union,
going on strike to demand collective
bargaining rights, raises, and safer
conditions.
In response, employers would bring in
white workers to undercut union
organizing.
1970s-80s

19.
Dubbed the “Hispanic Project,”
poultry companies actively went to
Mexico, Guatemala, and border states
to actively recruit undocumented
immigrant workers.
They sought to exploit a more
vulnerable cheap pool of labor and
undermine black workers organizing,
but slowly, black and brown workers
started organizing together. After 1986 and the
passing of IRCA

20.
How the MS Poultry Industry Has Maintained
an Underclass of Workers and Divisions
Throughout Time
In the past month, Koch Foods in
MS has been holding job fairs.
The companies are just replacing
with one group with another to
undermine workers organizing and
to pit workers against each other.
After 1986 and the
passing of IRCA

21.
Fighting the Root Cause- Not Just the Symptoms
of the Modern-Slave Law
* We must fight for equal rights for
ALL workers to assert their rights to
organize and unionize
- Equal protections for all workers under the
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
- Protect workers against retaliation, including
harassment and firing due to organizing
- Protect workers from deportation due to
organizing
* Repeal the modern slave law
employers’ sanctions of IRCA
* Ensure a pathway to legalization

22.
What Can You Do?
● JOIN the Break the Chains Alliance as an individual
or an organizational member
● SHARE this presentation at your church, school
campus, or organization
● PETITION: bit.ly/endcriminalization-equalrights
● SOCIAL MEDIA: FB @equalrightsforallworkers
● FOR MORE: equalrightsforallworkers.org