Unions Join Forces On Immigration

By: Michelle Levi
Topics: Domestic Issues

(CBS/AP)

Two of the country's major labor union coalitions – the AFL-CIO and Change To Win have united to advocate for a major overhaul in immigration legislation which would help President Obama when he revisits the contentious issue this year.

Both groups endorse allowing illegal immigrants already in the country legal status and push against any new program for employers to bring in temporary workers.

"The labor movement will work together to make sure that the White House as well as Congress understand that we speak about immigration reform with one voice," AFL-CIO Chief John Sweeney told the New York Times.

"This morning John Sweeney and [Change To Win chief] Joe Hansen announced the important joint unity" which will provide a "framework for immigration reform," Ester Lopez of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) added on a conference call with reporters this afternoon.

She explained that the "essential elements" of the framework includes a commission to access the flow of workers based on labor market shortages, a call for a worker verification system that protects workers, proposes the adjustment of status legalization of the 11 million undocumented workers and calls for an improvement but no expansion of temporary work force.

Ana Avendano, the Director Immigrant Worker Program of the AFL-CIO, said that "unity" between the groups is the key to legislative change.

She said "we have found in the past that division has not helped any of us" and rather it has "fueled immigrant hatred."

"Today is a brand new day," Avendano added.

She also touted Mr. Obama's prior experience as a community organizer and said she feels Mr. Obama will work with the unions rather than "against" as she said former President George W. Bush did.

Change To Win is a coalition of seven major unions and represents approximately six million workers. A mission statement on immigration from the union states that, "the fight for fair treatment and legal protection for immigrant workers in this country is inextricably linked to the fight for better wages, benefits, and working conditions for all workers. We will not allow workers to be pitted one against the other because of their national origin. Everything labor has ever won came by building a grassroots movement and strong community alliances."

Meanwhile the AFL-CIO claims to represent eleven million workers made up from fifty-six organizations. The union's immigration policy states that while the group supports immigrant workers, "it is increasingly clear that if the United States is to have an immigration system that really works, it must be simultaneously orderly, responsible and fair."

"The current system leaves unpunished unscrupulous employers who exploit undocumented workers and retaliate against them when they join with other workers to assert their rights, thus denying labor rights for all workers," the policy reads.

The White House announced last week that Mr. Obama would work to push an immigration bill through Congress in 2009 which would give a path for legalization of approximately 12 million people illegally in the U.S

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by DarrylMueller April 18, 2009 11:33 PM EDT: I have been a AFL-CIO Operating Engineer member for 45 years this is just so un-AMERICAN. And of all times to pull this when the UNION HALLS are over flowing they would do this trick against Union Members. Shame on them AFL-CIO
Darryl SF Bay Area; Reply to this comment


by HernandezUSA April 17, 2009 10:48 AM EDT: If you want real change and you do not believe in RACISM, but you do believe in the RULE of law and that the United States Citizens come before all others, then Join.

Protect American jobs!
Protect our Citizenship!
Protect our borders from invasion!
Protect our children from the drug violence!
Remind our elected leaders they are the employees and we are their boss!
Stop the outsourcing of American jobs abroad and internally - 13,000,000 unemployed Americans are counting on us.

www.numbersusa.com; Reply to this comment


by Estoban April 17, 2009 10:11 AM EDT: We are a consensual society under a Constitution that provides rights, freedoms and the mechanics to create laws that we citizens live by. Citizens accept that breaking our laws results in proscribed punishments and full jails testify to the fact. An unholy alliance of lawbreaking illegal aliens, criminal employers and elected officials that look the other way are hypocrites and anarchists. They feel that they can pick and choose which laws are convenient for them to follow and willingly break those that are personally inconvenient. This breaks down our admired legal system and works against the rule of law that we depend upon for our daily safety and national security. All lawbreaking illegal aliens should be deported, all criminal employers should be jailed and elected officials that have failed to carry out their oath of office to defend the Constitution and our laws should be fired, voted out of office, impeached and perhaps charged with criminal dereliction of duty. The 1986 amnesty was a total failure. Never again! I'm a union member for 42 years. The rank and file don't want amnesty by any name!; Reply to this comment


by dante805 April 15, 2009 8:55 AM EDT: Unions and Illegals aliens go together so well. Down with Unions Out with illegals. Plain and simple.; Reply to this comment


by betterusa April 15, 2009 8:51 AM EDT: I have no problem with people that want to come to America for liberty and freedom and start a new life. My ancestors came in the early 1900's and learned what America stood for, its language, traditions and history. What I have a problem with is the illegals want to bring their language, national flag and their former countries rules and then expect us to respect and honor these rules, flag and language. YOU ARE IN AMERICA NOW; we did not ask you to come; you came of your own free will! No more press one for English - that is the language you learn or you may leave and fly the red, white and blue outside your home or on your car antenna - that is the flag of the United States of America.; Reply to this comment


by quapawsix April 15, 2009 8:24 AM EDT: From the Native American point of view, you all are Illegally in this country but if you are part of the human race then this planet and all it's countries and it's natural resources belong to all of us and we are all citizens of Plant Earth. Quit thinking in terms of mine, mine, mine, mine and think in terms of ours. And how will it benefit all of us, and not just the greedy few.; Reply to this comment


by andylance1 April 15, 2009 2:36 AM EDT: What is the source of the anti-immigration hysteria? Is it the ranting right wing radio fear mongers like Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage ... a mick, a kraut and a Jew? All of them had immigrant ancestors who suffered from anti-immigrant hysteria when they came over as unwashed and starving steerage passengers on 19th century ships. Send them all back to where they came from.; Reply to this comment


by rhs648 April 15, 2009 1:24 AM EDT: Any plan that would legitimze and allow those here illegal does diservice to those who came to this country through the front door legally.
Posted by endurorob

You are correct. Unfortunately, people want things the easy way. Why bother with legalities when you can simply cross the border, have children, and then claim hardship if the family is split-up by deporting the parents? Many Americans do not seem bothered by the pressure illegal immigrants place on other taxpayers who provide the sertvices such as educating the children of illegal immigrants, providing health care, and subsidizing housing. The list goes on. How long can we bleed money and resources helping illegal immigrants?; Reply to this comment


by lagunagal April 14, 2009 10:28 PM EDT: Is this outrageous or what?

Illegal immigrants will become legal immigrants who will then fall in line with the Unions. Problem being is there will always be illegal immigrants undermining the expense of Unions left and right. Do you think an Immigrant will stay with a Union once they know they can give a better price and make more money for the service? Do you think that illegal immigration will cease once you count em all and get them Unionized, Sweeney??

I?m sticking with my illegal?s. They work hard, play hard and are definitively less expensive than anything any Union can offer and that?s a fact. Does no one think of these things?

Gee John Sweeny, not so bright are ya dude.; Reply to this comment


by charlie448 April 14, 2009 9:19 PM EDT: Unions can not make up there minds on what side to be on now. This shows that they have no real feeling for the American worker, just the worker that will pay the big union official his big pay check. As stated before more jobs going out of America.; Reply to this comment