Unions agree on path for immigration reform

Source: LATimes

The AFL-CIO and the Change to Win federation support the legalization of the nation's 12 million undocumented immigrants and the creation of a panel to analyze the labor market's needs.
The nation's top two labor federations announced a framework Tuesday for comprehensive immigration reform, setting aside differences with the hope of pushing legislation through this year.

The agreement, supported by the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win federation, supports the legalization of the nation's 12 million undocumented immigrants and the formation of an independent commission to analyze the labor market's needs and assess shortages for the admission of future foreign workers. The unions oppose any new guest worker programs that would allow employers to bring foreigners in on a temporary basis.
"Today's unified agreement by the labor movement is a major step forward to pass immigration reform," Eliseo Medina, international executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union, said during a phone news conference. "We believe that the time is right for finally reforming our immigration system."

The labor unions, however, will probably face opposition from business groups.

Randel Johnson of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said he was suspicious about a commission that could become politicized and concerned that businesses would not be able to get the employees they needed without temporary worker programs. Without the backing of business, he said, immigration reform won't pass.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-immig-unions15-2009apr15,0,2433063.story

These illegals work for less then the going minimum wage as it is....

Union leadership is profoundly out-of-touch with the rank-and-file on this issue.

More like 20 to 30 million illegal, exploitable, cheap laborers is not in the best interests of the average union worker.

My father has been in Construction Local 444 for 30 years. His wages in drywall have dropped (without looking at inflation) more years than not. This is directly attributable to the flooding of illegals into his profession (which is the second employer behind migrant farm workers). Ever read The Grapes of Wrath? EXACT SAME THING here.

"Reform was thwarted in the last two Congresses by obstructionist Republicans..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/opinion/14tue1.html?scp=2&sq=immigration%20reform&st=cse

"“If the unions think they’re going to push a bill through without the support of the business community, they’re crazy,” said Randel Johnson, the chamber’s vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits."

“In our current economic crisis, Americans cannot afford to lose more jobs to illegal workers,” said Representative Steve King, an Iowa Republican who sits on the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration. “American workers are depending on President Obama to protect their jobs from those in America illegally.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/us/14immig.html?pagewanted=1&sq=immigration%20reform&st=cse&scp=4

"Opponents, mainly Republicans, say they will seek to mobilize popular outrage against any effort to legalize unauthorized immigrant workers while so many Americans are out of jobs."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/us/politics/09immig.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=immigration%20reform&st=cse

"More like 20 to 30 million illegal, exploitable, cheap laborers is not in the best interests of the average union worker."

One benefit of making the illegal into legal workers is that they will be less exploitable and easier to unionize.

I see why corporation don't agree with unions out of touch