Thread: Deal Is Said to Be Reached on Immigration Overhaul

Deal Is Said to Be Reached on Immigration Overhaul

By ASHLEY PARKER

Published: March 30, 2013 12:10 p.m. Pacific

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top business and labor groups have reached an agreement on a guest worker program for low-skilled immigrants, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said on Saturday. The deal clears the path for broad immigration legislation to be introduced when Congress returns from its two-week recess in mid-April.

Senator Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat and one of eight senators from both parties who have been negotiating an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, convened a conference call on Friday night with Thomas J. Donohue, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Richard L. Trumka, the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., the nation’s main federation of labor unions, in which they agreed in principle on a guest worker program for low-skilled, year-round temporary workers.

Pay for guest workers was one of the final sticking points on a broad immigration deal, and one that had stalled the Senate negotiations just before the break. The eight Senate negotiators still need to formally sign off on the deal between the business and labor groups, but they are expected to do so by the end of the weekend, the person with knowledge of the talks said.

The agreement resolved what the pay level should be for low-skilled immigrants — often employed at hotels and restaurants or on construction projects — who could be brought in during labor shortages.

Labor groups wanted to ensure that guest workers would not be paid less than the median wage in their respective industries, and the two sides compromised by agreeing that guest workers would be paid either the prevailing industry wage or the actual employer wage used previously in the guest worker program, whichever was higher.

Another sticking point, involving the specific type of jobs that would be included in the guest worker program, has also been resolved. Though low-skilled construction workers will be included in the visa program, the nation’s construction unions persuaded the negotiators to exclude certain types of more skilled jobs — like crane operators and electricians — from the program, officials involved in the talks said.

The guest worker program, which will start at 20,000 new visas each year, will eventually grant up to 200,000 new visas annually for low-skilled workers.

Mr. Schumer also spoke on Saturday with Denis McDonough, the White House chief of staff, to update him on the agreement. President Obama is eager for an overhaul of the nation’s immigration system and has threatened to step in with his own plan if Congress does not move quickly with legislation of its own.

Shortly before the conference call on Friday night between Mr. Schumer, Mr. Donohue and Mr. Trumka ended, one of the men suggested that the three of them get together soon for dinner; it had been, they all agreed, a long few weeks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/31/us...tion.html?_r=0