Undocumented workers protest their firings from Pacific Steel Casting
on February 18, 2012
Late last year, Pacific Steel Casting, the country’s fourth largest steel foundry, fired 200 workers. The reason: Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a workplace audit on the company, and could not verify that they could legally work in the US. The factory, located in Berkeley, employs workers from throughout the East Bay, including some from Oakland and Richmond.
Ignacio De La Fuente, Oakland City Councilmember and union representative for the foundry employees, said the fired workers would have a tough time finding employment that could match Pacific Steel’s high wages and good benefits.
On Friday, hundreds of fired workers and their supporters marched to Pacific Steel to protest the layoffs.
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