Unions Join Forces On Immigration
(CBS/AP)
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
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 21 CommentsDarryl SF Bay Area
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
Posted by quapawsix
American Indians felt it was important enough to fight for....go to Cuba if you want to live with the understanding that when it comes to the government 'everything that is yours in mine and everything that is mine is mine, as well...'. Only retards, and slaves stand by and let government continue to rip something out from under them until they have nothing left and no way to get any more. This is where the Obama Administration is headed...not unlike Bush's 'if you aren't with us then you are against us' chant...Obama is no different.
these are the ones who put Obama in office...now the back scratching begins....
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?
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.
only *****cbsfanisback and his family**** ur majesty and his family***** jonesjep and his family***** u-r-right and his family ******and some others total 5%******** means nothing so we win bye
The only ones who don't are American workers and taxpayers who receive reduced wages and increased taxes.
Unions that support amnesty for illegals are as corrupt as the lobbyists or priests or politicians who support it.
In a progressive agenda for AMNESTY, is that the new immigrants will vote largely Democrat, because of resistance of other parties. Unions have adapted to the same, because their own ranks are full of illegal alien workers. This in addition means claiming a large blocks of Union dues and more influence in the Congress. Even the Catholic church has been ostracized by it's practitioners, owing to child predatory nature of priest, who have been shielded by the church. Their religion has found a financial windfall, in illegal aliens crossing our distressed border from Catholic countries. The anti-sovereignty, pro-illegal immigration army is amassed against common sense. A new AMNESTY will bring millions more to America's shores and border. It will be another tremendous burden on taxpayers in caring for the poor, their children and sick. The danger to our countries resources is environmental catastrophe. Find facts at NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIALWATCH, CAPSWEB.
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