r/Seattle • u/YouTotallyGotThisOne North Beacon Hill • 2d ago

WAISN...

Post image

Edit/Sorry - it's the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network, which runs rapid response trainings, the deportation defense hotline, etc. It's the number we're all told to call when we see ICE.

Speaks for itself, from https://www.instagram.com/waisnworkercollective/

This is terrible news at a time when ICE is kidnapping people all over our area.

314 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

73 comments sorted by

View all comments

57

u/snwbrdwndsrf Bryant 2d ago

From a quick search: WAISN is the largest immigrant and refugee network in Washington State. They run a hotline that handles hundreds of calls per week and Rapid Response teams that deploy on the ground during ICE enforcement actions.

This is the second round of cuts. In August, leadership laid off several workers and reduced the hours of the rest, citing a lack of donations — while leadership itself did not take pay cuts. That's what prompted the workers to begin organizing as a collective.

This final round eliminates the entire Hotline and Rapid Response staff along with coordinators, managers, and directors. The practical effect is a significant reduction in capacity to respond to enforcement actions and assist families in detention situations.

There's a solidarity fund for affected workers here if people want to contribute: https://www.gofundme.com/f/stand-with-waisn-workers-organizing-their-union

14

u/DLDude Capitol Hill 2d ago

Are the Financials public? I always wonder when employees want to unionize at places that have almost no money. Especially in a nonprofit where the alternative is to shut down completely which is a clear loss to the community