‘Day Without Immigrants’: Companies Fire Employees After Protest

The “Day Without Immigrants” protest last Thursday has had its consequences. Though many businesses and communities supported the protest, other companies are not so keen to participate.

According to Slate, more than 100 people were fired after they attended the protest last week.

Bradley Coatings Inc. has been one of the companies who reportedly terminated employees after the protest. The company released 18 people who they said were not consistent with communication. Bradley Coatings Inc. also noted that they have previously “warned” employees that they would lose their jobs if they did not come to work. Though the timing with the protest and the termination has implicit reasons, Bradley Coatings Inc. noted that it was not about the immigration policy.

“The reason these employees missed work—to engage in peaceful demonstrations—had nothing to do with BCI’s decision to terminate them. Fired workers said they planned to make up the day on Sunday but the company didn’t budge.”

In Denver, dozens of employees also said they were fired after the protest. JVS Masonry has reportedly terminated at least 30 workers after the event.

Ray, one of the former crews of JVS Masonry, told KDVR that he sent an advise to his boss ahead of time to inform him about his absence. However, his boss told him he would be fired if he did not go to work.

“You stand of what you believe, make sure you stand for whatever consequences are going to come… He said whoever took the day off today can find another job tomorrow,” Ray said as he read the text from his boss Jim Serowski.

. @ChuysRestaurant says they will fire, at random, any employee that is part of the boycott tomorrow. Fuck them and their shitty food pic.twitter.com/o5L32XBtcU

— scam likely (@ManVsParty) February 16, 2017

Though Serowski clarified that his stance has nothing to do with immigration, but with pure business logistics, the owner said the terminated employees could get back to work if they ask.

In Miami, four construction workers were fired and 17 others quit during the protest.

“We were fired from Orange and Blue company in retaliation for having supported the day without immigrants,” Miguel Cruz told Debate.

Though the workers have sent their notice for absence to the company ahead of the protest, they were still terminated. The 17 others who left said they would like to support their peers.

“We sympathize with our comrades who were fired, because we also felt fear,” said Guatemalan Boris Carderon.

The main purpose of the protest was to show the Trump administration how important immigrants are in the daily American way of life. During the beginning of Trump’s presidency, he has vowed to “clear” America of unwanted immigrants. With his infamous ban, Trump has received a lot of criticisms with how he is treating immigration.

Calderon noted that everyone in their community is in fear of what is going to happen to them. He said that this new immigration policy has no boundaries. They could be good citizens without any criminal record, but still be deported back.

Many employees all across the U.S. have suffered the same fate, but businesses have felt the impact of the “Day Without Immigrants.”

The Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Mount Juliet in Tennessee has released a statement to their guests who stayed in during the protest saying they apologize for not having the staff to do housekeeping.

"Querido huesped: No tenemos el personal para limpiar su habitación" parte de lo que pasa USA en día sin inmigrantes pic.twitter.com/AATlRaQY6B

— Patricia Janiot (@patriciajaniot) February 17, 2017

“As many businesses found out this morning, the Hispanic Community and many other immigrants are participating in a Nationwide Protest to alert everyone of the impact they have in our countries workforce. Our housekeeping team is 99% Hispanic and none of them are here today.”

[Feature Image by Mario Tama/Getty Images]