Labor Groups Reach an Accord on Immigration.

[elleng]

Source: NYT

The nation’s two major labor federations have agreed for the first time to join forces to support an overhaul of the immigration system, leaders of both organizations said on Monday. The accord could give President Obama significant support among unions as he revisits the stormy issue in the midst of the recession.

John Sweeney, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., and Joe T. Hansen, a leader of the rival Change to Win federation, will present the outlines of their new position on Tuesday in Washington. In 2007, when Congress last considered comprehensive immigration legislation, the two groups could not agree on a common approach. That legislation failed.

The accord endorses legalizing the status of illegal immigrants already in the United States and opposes any large new program for employers to bring in temporary immigrant workers, officials of both federations said.





Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/us/14immig.html?th&emc=th

[Omaha Steve]

1. K&R

Common sense.

[pampango]

2. Thank you, labor, for clarifying your position endorsing legalization.

Also, I had forgotten that the labor movement had supported legalization in 2007 during the immigration reform effort.

"The two labor federations have agreed in the past to proposals that would give legal status to illegal immigrants", but disagreed over disagreed over an expanded guest-worker program.

"A.F.L.-C.I.O. officials said they agreed with Change to Win leaders that, with more than seven million unauthorized immigrants already working across the nation, legalizing their status would be the most effective way to protect labor standards for all workers."

From yesterday's NYT editorial page: "We are also heartened that American labor is speaking with a united voice in hard times, rejecting the false claim that fixing the immigration system will somehow hurt American workers. Even in a bad economy — especially in a bad economy — getting undocumented immigrants on the right side of the law only makes sense."

"Immigrant advocates were ecstatic, though it is important to note that this was not a promise to move a bill, only to start the debate. Even that is not going to be easy. Reform was thwarted in the last two Congresses by obstructionist Republicans committed to the delusion that expelling 12 million people amounts to a realistic policy.

"We expect to hear more from Mr. Obama soon. It will take courage to defend the wisdom and necessity of fixing the immigration system. It will take even more courage to engage in the serious fight to do so . It is what the country needs and what American voters elected Mr. Obama to do."

We'll see if President Obama has the courage. I think he has shown that he does, but this will be a tough, nasty fight thanks to the repubs' favorite seven letter word - A M N E S T Y. (If we could get them to pay a dollar every time a repub politician or talking head uses the term, we could pay off even the current national debt and have money left over. :) )