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  1. #1
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    Organized Labor Wants 'Full Rights' for Illegal Workers too

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    Getman: Organized labor wants full rights for all employees - documented or not

    Jack Getman, LOCAL CONTRIBUTOR
    Saturday, November 29, 2008

    The alliance between organized labor and immigrant rights groups proved very powerful during the presidential election, helping to deliver Nevada, Florida and Virginia for President-elect Barack Obama. Perhaps that is why some conservatives writers are trying to divide the two groups. An example of this tactic is the claim Ruben Navarrette Jr. made in a recent column that President-elect Obama has sidetracked the issue of immigration reform because of opposition from the labor movement. He wrote, "As has always been the case with the immigration issue, what Democrats worry about most is antagonizing their sponsors in organized labor."

    The claim is bogus. Since 2000, organized labor has made clear its strong support for immigrant rights. The official policy of the AFL-CIO adopted by its executive committee states, "The AFL-CIO proudly stands on the side of immigrant workers. \u2026Undocumented workers and their families make enormous contributions to their communities and workplaces and should be provided permanent legal status through a new amnesty program. Immigrant workers should have full workplace rights in order to protect their own interests as well as the labor rights of all American workers."

    At the AFL-CIO convention, which overwhelmingly adopted this policy, John Wilhelm, president of the Hotel Employees Restaurant Employees Union, spoke forcefully in favor of the report. He said, "Those who came before us, who built this labor movement in the great depression, in strikes in rubber and steel and hotels, they did not say, 'Let me see your papers' to the workers in those industries. They said, 'Which side are you on?' And immigrant workers today have the right to ask of us the same question. Which side are we on?" The convention erupted in applause.

    Wlhelm, currently a leader of the Change to Win Federation, which recently left the AFL-CIO, has said, "The twin problems of immigrant rights and the economic plight of African Americans (which I see as indivisible, meaning to deal successfully with either one we need to deal with both) are the most important human rights, political, and organizing issue we face."

    In 2003, the labor movement organized the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, a program headed by Maria Elena Durazo, executive leader of the politically powerful Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. The IWFR, as it was called, was a bus trip by immigrant workers intended to parallel the Freedom Riders of 30 years earlier. The ride was supported by the hotel workers, the service workers, the teamsters, the farm workers and the leadership of AFL-CIO. It took place in September 2003 when 900 immigrant workers and their supporters in 10 U.S. cities boarded buses and traveled across the country to Washington, D.C.

    At every stop, the immigrants were greeted by local supporters, veterans of the civil rights movement including several of the Little Rock 9 and local labor leaders. The labor movement arranged for the workers who made the trip to meet with members of Congress and the press. At one rally, John Sweeney of the AFL-CIO stated, the "struggle of immigrant workers is our struggle." In 2005, the AFL-CIO established the Immigrant Workers Project to help train immigrant workers and to teach them about unions.

    The truth is that immigrant workers are the future of the labor movement and labor's top leaders know this and are prepared to fight for their rights.

    Getman, a law professor at the University of Texas, wrote 'The Betrayal of Local 14.'

    http://www.statesman.com/opinion/conten ... 7&cxcat=45
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  2. #2
    Senior Member crazybird's Avatar
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    Immigrants have rights.....illegals don't. Citizens have even less it seems.
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    Senior Member 93camaro's Avatar
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    The truth is that immigrant workers are the future of the labor movement and labor's top leaders know this and are prepared to fight for their rights.
    It's the same old recycled crap, Protect the Invaders, Give the Citizens the shaft!!
    Work Harder Millions on Welfare Depend on You!

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    Senior Member Richard's Avatar
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    Some unions are maintaing anti union positions. The organizer for the vermont Ironworkers local turned some illegals in last month though they were drywall hangers competing against the Carpenters local members.
    I support enforcement and see its lack as bad for the 3rd World as well. Remittances are now mostly spent on consumption not production assets. Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

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    Senior Member Bowman's Avatar
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    No wonder our country is is deep doo doo, here we have a law professor basically saying foreign gate crashers have the right to work here!!
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  6. #6
    Senior Member Captainron's Avatar
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    And why do union leaders support illegals--even at the expense of their American members? Check out their salaries:
    http://unionfacts.com/unions/


    Name Title Salary Benefits
    & Other Total
    Compensation
    Bruce Raynor General President $ 253,992 $ 97,862 (total)$ 351,854
    John Wilhelm President/hospitality Ind $ 253,992 $ 89,994 (total)$ 343,986
    "Men of low degree are vanity, Men of high degree are a lie. " David
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    Senior Member bigtex's Avatar
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    Something tells me that the Hotel Employees Restaurant Employees Union are having a hard time getting all of the illegals aliens working in this area to pay union dues. I guess it benefits the Union greatly to get them all on the payroll legally so Union dues can be deducted. Our unions certainly don't care much for making sure its members are treated fairly. They only thing I have seen them care much about is getting as many as possible paying dues each pay period.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member gofer's Avatar
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    u2026Undocumented workers and their families make enormous contributions to their communities and workplaces
    Name one! On the other hand they have made ENORMOUS contributions to overcrowded classrooms, emergency rooms, apt. bldgs and increased taxpayer burdens picking up tabs for ESL teachers, free healthcare, food and utility assistance, the bill for pregancies and childcare....and on and on.

    They also have made a huge contribution to the "economic plight" of African-Americans, having pushed them out of jobs and taken over entire sectors that traditionally employed the latter.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Dixie's Avatar
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    Organized Labor is just trying to legitimize their dues and membership with illegal aliens. Once again, it's about money and making a buck off of illegal aliens.

    Also, the unions may fear lawsuits and sanctions against them for organizing unlawful residents, illegal employees and foreign nationals into unions that break the law by working in the US. This is real a manipulative attempt to cover their asses. Unions are actually harboring and assisiting unlawful acts committed by their new found illegal alien members.

    Dixie
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  10. #10
    Senior Member kniggit's Avatar
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    Funny, I always thought that that was the benefit of joining a union. I thought they were supposed to go to bat for you and prevent "scabs" from undercutting wages.....
    Immigration reform should reflect a commitment to enforcement, not reward those who blatantly break the rules. - Rep Dan Boren D-Ok

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