Immigrant Workers

We need to look at our communities and ask ourselves whether we want to move forward toward a society and a world in which people are, relatively speaking, equal in terms of their rights and in terms of their social status—or move backward to an era which reminds me of the era before the civil rights movement in which a huge section of our population had significantly fewer political, social, and economic rights.

David Bacon

Economic prosperity in Silicon Valley and San Francisco has created high demand for real estate and a short supply of housing. This has caused rents to skyrocket and displaced much of the working-class population. Lower-income workers, many of whom are immigrants, have been forced to move away from city centers and commute long distances for work. Many families live jammed together in order to pay rent, and many people lose housing entirely. Yet immigrant workers are essential to the American economy. Based on 2018 US Census data, the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) estimates that 19.8 million immigrants work in “essential critical infrastructure” categories. These workers meet the health, infrastructure, manufacturing, service, food, safety, and other needs of all Americans. Since the 1990s, David Bacon has been photographing this demographic.

Unions such as UNITE HERE Local 2 have fought back. In San Francisco this union has organized hundreds of workers and led multiple successful strikes against some of the largest corporate hotel chains in the country, winning wage increases to meet the rising cost of living in California. Other attempts at organization have been less successful, as evidenced by the Cal Spas strike in the 1990s in Pomona, California. More than 200 workers went on strike for a month in protest of unfair labor practices by Cal Spas and ultimately lost their jobs. David Bacon’s photographs document the success of mass actions that win, and the high cost workers pay when attempts at organization and job strikes fail.

Viola and two other hotel workers mark their ballots in the strike vote at the beginning of the 2004 contract campaign
Viola and two other hotel workers mark their ballots in the strike vote at the beginning of the 2004 contract campaign
At a prayer service during the lockout, outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel
At a prayer service during the lockout, outside the Grand Hyatt Hotel
After a week on strike against Marriott Hotels, hotel workers are arrested for a sit-in
After a week on strike against Marriott Hotels, hotel workers are arrested for a sit-in
Jessica Etheridge is arrested during the Marriott strike
Jessica Etheridge is arrested during the Marriott strike
A laundry worker loads tablecloths from a hotel into an industrial washer at California Linen Service
A laundry worker loads tablecloths from a hotel into an industrial washer at California Linen Service
A laundry worker sorts tablecloths from huge laundry bags at California Linen Service
A laundry worker sorts tablecloths from huge laundry bags at California Linen Service
Strikers walk out of the Cal Spas factory
Strikers walk out of the Cal Spas factory
The hands of a housekeeper at a Class A hotel
The hands of a housekeeper at a Class A hotel
Humberto Camacho, international representative of the United Electrical Workers, agreed to help the workers when they went to the union to complain about bad wages and mistreatment
Humberto Camacho, international representative of the United Electrical Workers, agreed to help the workers when they went to the union to complain about bad wages and mistreatment
Strikers march to the Pomona City Hall with supporters from One-Stop Immigration and Americans for Democratic Action
Strikers march to the Pomona City Hall with supporters from One-Stop Immigration and Americans for Democratic Action
Strikers make the bitter decision to end the strike
Strikers make the bitter decision to end the strike
Lucy Wong, a room cleaner at the St. Francis Hotel and an active leader of Local 2, makes up a bed at the Hilton
Lucy Wong, a room cleaner at the St. Francis Hotel and an active leader of Local 2, makes up a bed at the Hilton
Rev. Jesse Jackson rallies with locked out and striking San Francisco hotel workers in Union Square
Rev. Jesse Jackson rallies with locked out and striking San Francisco hotel workers in Union Square