INVISIBLE LABOR DAY

Demonstrators lined up along Dale Mabry Highway south of Raymond James Stadium on April 10, 2006 in support of illegal immigrants.

GREG FIGHT/Tribune

By LINDSAY PETERSON lpeterson@tampatrib.com

Published: May 1, 2006

Millions of immigrants today are planning to stay away from their jobs, spend no money in stores and gather in rallies across the country.

Why today?

May 1 is Labor Day. Not in the United States - even though U.S. trade unions started it here more than 120 years ago. But in countries around the world, particularly Latin America, this is a national holiday to honor workers.

So this is the day national organizers chose to call attention to the labor of undocumented immigrants in the United States.

All immigrants have been called on to take part in the boycott, or "Day Without an Immigrant," as it is being called. But the focus is on the roughly one in 20 people who work here without green cards.

Millions of these immigrants would have a chance to become legal residents through a bill under consideration in the U.S. Senate. A bill passed by the House in December, however, is much tougher on illegal immigration.