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After green industry professionals cleaned up from their morning of volunteer work at Arlington National and Historic Congressional cemeteries Monday, they spent the afternoon soaking in updates about key industry issues and were surprised to be greeted by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez.


The 35th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez. Photo: Doug Obermann, PBI/Gordon


Secretary Gutierrez, the former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Kellogg Co. and a core member of President George W. Bush’s economic team, joined the group to discuss the president’s plan for comprehensive immigration reform. His presentation inspired a passionate and emotional discussion around a sensitive, heated issue that, according to industry members, is being tied too closely to H-2B, a temporary worker program landscape contractors use to obtain supplemental labor.

Gutierrez outlined what he called “Bush’s clear vision for comprehensive immigration reform,” which included two key points – protecting the nation’s borders and recognizing the needs of a growing economy. “We have jobs American people aren’t willing to do,” Gutierrez said. “That means we’ve moved on as a country and that’s a good thing. For that reason, we recognize that comprehensive immigration reform needs to include a guest worker program.”

“Also, H-2B needs an overhaul,” Gutierrez added. “We need a way to hire temporary workers to do the jobs Americans won’t do. If we do this right and execute it right and support comprehensive immigration reform, we will have the right solution, and I believe we’ll look back and be proud of what we’ve done.”

In addition, Gutierrez said comprehensive immigration reform cannot ignore the 12 million immigrants living in the country illegally. “Rounding up 12 million people and deporting them is not something we can do as a country – the President has said that he doesn’t feel this is practical or humane,” he said, adding that these 12 million illegal immigrants also have 3 million children who were born here and are U.S. citizens. “We can’t solve this with one quick action – we need a practical, workable solution. President Bush has said, ‘We are a nation of immigrants.’ We have been for 230 years and we won’t be something different the next 30 years.”

Gutierrez, an immigrant from Cuba who became a U.S. citizen in 1966, shared bits of his own story during his talk. “People forced me to learn English and I was grateful that I was pushed to learn and not stay on the sidelines,” he said. “Immigrants are not getting that same good advice today. They have to become part of society.”

Gutierrez’s talk fueled audience questions. “Let’s be honest – our industry does use illegal immigrants,” one industry attendee said. “Will comprehensive immigration reform mean that it’s the employer’s job to enforce the new rules about illegal immigrants or it’s our necks on the line?”




The 35th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez. Photo: www.whitehouse.gov

“We need to strike a balance,” Gutierrez answered. “It’s our job to make it easy for businesses to be accountable. We need to make it easier to allow you to follow the law and today that’s very difficult. We need to make sure we don’t pass a law that’s so complicated and unrealistic that it can’t be met.”

Though the topic of illegal immigrant workers drew many questions, the deadline for H-2B’s exemption of returning workers on Sept. 30 drew the most inquiries, as did the fact that comprehensive immigration reform seems to be muddying the waters of the passage of two bills already in the House and Senate extending this exemption of returning workers from the 66,000 cap.

Though he didn’t have many solid answers addressing attendees’ concerns on this issue, Gutierrez did leave them with a final hopeful thought. “H-2B is being held out there because of immigration reform,” he said. “But I will try to capture what you have told me and make sure everyone understands what’s at stake with your businesses and H-2B.”

In related news, Don McCorkle, chief executive officer of McCorkle Nurseries, Dearing, Ga., and a member of the American Nursery & Landscape Association’s Legislative Policy committee, met with Gutierrez Tuesday afternoon to discuss comprehensive immigration reform, representing the nursery and landscape industry.

During the meeting, McCorkle highlighted the specific seasonal needs of both the agricultural and services sides of the green industry. “If labor intensive agriculture industries move offshore, we will lose three to four jobs in the surrounding economy for every farm worker job – good jobs mostly filled by Americans,” asserted McCorkle to Secretary Gutierrez. “We strongly support the President’s plan that includes a temporary worker program and a realistic approach for otherwise contributing but unauthorized workers to earn their way to legal status in the United States.”

McCorkle was joined in the meeting with Secretary Gutierrez by Truett Cathy, founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A; Hugh Morton, president & CEO of Peachtree Homes; Charles Hoff, general counsel of the Georgia Restaurant Association; Steve Porter, president of the Americas for the Intercontinental Hotel Group; Fred West, vice president of Amick Farms; and Terry Fox, CEO of Fox Building Co.

“Secretary Gutierrez brought a passion to the issue of immigration reform that I had not yet seen from our elected officials,” McCorkle said. “His passion and personal story are inspiring and it is comforting to know that he understands the labor needs of our industry.”


Wednesday, July 26, 2006

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