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Thu Feb 9 08:38:25 2006 Pacific Time

ADVISORY for 1 p.m. EST Tuesday, Feb. 14 -- National Conference Call

A New Twist on Immigration: Worker Centers Give Immigrants Services, Voice Amid Simmering Debate
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9 (AScribe Newswire) -- Immigrant workers are in the center of a national debate as President Bush advocates a guest-worker program and Congress pushes for increased border security and patrol. A new Economic Policy Institute report adds new insight by profiling the quiet force of worker centers -- the fast-growing institution that uses advocacy and organization to assist these workers. "Worker Centers: Organizing Communities at the Edge of the Dream" looks at some 140 centers in 31 states to show how these grassroots, locally-run places provide many services, including campaigning to improve wages and working conditions of low-wage immigrants -- many of whom are undocumented workers -- and fighting on-the-job exploitation.

On Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. EST, report author and Rutgers University professor Janice Fine will join other experts to examine the growing role of these centers and the national implications on the low-wage labor market and immigration policy.

WHAT: National Conference Call: Worker Centers and the Immigration Debate

WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, 1 p.m. EST

WHO: - Janice Fine, Professor, Rutgers University and Research Associate, Economic Policy Institute

- Amy Sugimori, Attorney, National Employment Law Project

- Jose Oliva, Workers' Center Network Coordinator,

Interfaith Worker Justice

- Joann Lo, Lead Organizer, Garment Worker Center

RSVP: To reserve a space on the call and receive an embargoed copy of the report, e-mail news@epinet.org, or call 202-775-8810 by 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb 14.

NOTE: Report EMBARGOED until Wednesday a.m., Feb. 15, 2006.

CONTACT: Nancy Coleman, Karen Conner or Stephaan Harris, EPI Media Relations, 202-775-8810, news@epi.org