Unions worked up over illegals

WASHINGTON TIMES ^ | April 15, 2006 | Charles Hurt

[ncountylee]

Labor unions, which are among the Democratic Party's most loyal supporters, are deeply at odds with the party's push for a guest-worker program, and many Capitol Hill aides say erosion of labor's support undermined the Senate immigration-reform bill last week.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says guest-worker programs supported by top Democrats such as Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Dianne Feinstein are a "bad idea and harm all workers."

"They cast workers into a perennial second-class status and unfairly put their fates into their employers' hands," said Mr. Sweeney, whose organization represents 13 million workers in 54 unions.

While labor unions say they want immigration reform, there is division among unions who support guest workers, such as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and those who fear current Senate proposals will flood the U.S. job market and further undercut American workers with cheap labor.

"This is the corporate strategy in this country now, and Congress seems to be embracing it," Sen. Byron L. Dorgan, North Dakota Democrat, told CNN's Lou Dobbs last week.

"The corporate strategy is export good American jobs and then import cheap labor," he said. "That might be good corporate strategy, but in my judgment, it's not good for the American worker."

[ncountylee]

Seems funny being on the same side as Sweeney.

[xcamel]

talk about "tyranny of the minority" - unions only represent about 13% of the total workforce.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

OOps....here come da unions!

If they can't organize...better NOBODY organize! hee.hee.

[ThreePuttinDude]

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says guest-worker programs supported by top Democrats such as Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and Dianne Feinstein are a "bad idea and harm all workers."

It took you long enough........sheeesh had to think about it did ya'???

[randita]

Unions in general should be in favor of amnesty or anything that makes it easier for immigrants to become naturalized because that repreesents a bigger pool of employees likely to be in unions.

The guest worker program doesn't offer that option.

[TheGeezer]

The libs are, as usual, on the wrong side of the issue. And if the Republicans do not get it right, they deserve to have two years of misery with a Democrat House and Senate.

Secure the borders and then deal with the illegals.

The great majority of Americans - moderates and independents and conservatives - strongly oppose amnesty and "gift" citizenship and will vote for candidates supporting border enforcement and citizenship truly earned.

[Sacajaweau]

Sounds like a Dem quagmire. They ticked off the Unions with their "no logging" and "no drilling in Alaska",too.

We have an oldtime company closing here in Upstate NY with 200 employees. The sign says: "Moving to Mexico".

One of these days, Mexico will simply say: "We'd like to become the next state in the USA.....and hand us ALL the problems they refuse to deal with.

[stopem]

This issue that is critical to all Americans makes for strange bedfellows. Case in point McCain/Kennedy/Specter.

The illegal invaders are supported by the likes of athe above named and by radical subversive marxist, socialist communist, groups that advocate harm to gringos.

I read a horrific article on a website by the leader of one of those groups against our troops. Very, very chilling!
Yup folks they are just here for jobs Americans won't do. (that's a lie from hell)

[ncountylee]

Any guest worker should have an expiration date tattooed on his forehead.

[Sometimes A River]

Sweeney is against the guest worker program because he is for amnesty and full citizenship.

[Caipirabob]

If they can't organize...better NOBODY organize! hee.hee.

Watch for them to try and organize illegals as a union. Then watch them try to collect dues. I've got popcorn...

[EQAndyBuzz]

"The corporate strategy is export good American jobs and then import cheap labor," he said. "That might be good corporate strategy, but in my judgment, it's not good for the American worker.""

Wouldn't it be easier for a company to just pull back all operations from Communist countries, move them to Mexico, save on the shipping and then send Mexicans home to work there?

[freeangel]

Thes ILLEGALS, when granted amnesty, will not join traditional unions. They will form "la reza" (sp?) type unions that will only damage traditional US unions.--and, I'm guessing here, will have a lot more members than groups like Sweeney's.

[Dane]

"This is the corporate strategy in this country now, and Congress seems to be embracing it," Sen. Byron L. Dorgan, North Dakota Democrat, told CNN's Lou Dobbs last week.

"The corporate strategy is export good American jobs and then import cheap labor," he said. "That might be good corporate strategy, but in my judgment, it's not good for the American worker."

Hey Byron take a look at a non-union Toyota plant in Indiana.

PRINCETON, Ind. — Janet Greenwell and her husband, Richard, scraped by for years. Now they live in a 4,000-square-foot brick house, their income has grown 40 percent and Janet can stay home to care for their two kids. Their improved lifestyle descended upon them like a pale white spaceship, which is exactly what Toyota's massive auto plant looks like and where Richard Greenwell now works. "You feel as if you just hit the lottery and you are blessed," she said. The existence of the auto plant, plopped in the middle of a windswept cornfield, separates this southwest corner of Indiana from a state battered by factory closings. The plant also separates this area from much of the Midwest, which is in the midst of yet another painful retrenchment of the unionized auto industry, perhaps the greatest downsizing in Detroit's history

[CGASMIA68]

A dedicated Teamsters union worker was attending a convention in Las
Vegas and decided to check out the local brothels. When he got to the
first one, he asked the Madam, "Is this a union house?"

"No," she replied, "I'm sorry, it isn't."

"Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"

"The house gets $80 and the girls get $20," she answered.

Mightily offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off
down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized
shop.
His search continued until finally he reached a brothel where the
Madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. We observe all
union rules."

The man asked, "And if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get? "
The girls get $80 and the house gets $20."

That's more like it," the union man said. He handed the Madam $100,
looked around the room, and pointed to a stunningly attractive blonde.
"I'd like her," he said.

I'm sure you would, sir," said the Madam. Then she gestured to a
92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority
and according to union rules, she's next."

[Milhous]

On April 6 6 Sweeney made the remarks cited in this story.

Apr 6 6 - Guest worker proposals divide America's unions

"Guest worker programs are a bad idea and harm all workers," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said in a written statement. "They cast workers into a perennial second-class status."

By April 10 6 apparently Democrat elites got to Sweeney to force him to change his public posture on illegal aliens.

Apr 10 6 - Throngs rally for immigrants

Others speaking at the rally included Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington; Janet Murguia, president of the National Council of La Raza; and John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO.

"We all hope," Sweeney said. "We all love. We all dream. We all worship. We all work. We all have rights."

IMHO Sweeney genuinely articulated rank-and-file positions at first but then flip-floped under Democrat elite pressure. It seems disingenuous for the Wash Times to continue using Sweeney's genuine original position in light of his subsequent flip-flop.

[Milhous]

"but Ethel here has 67 years seniority and according to union rules, she's next."

LOL.

[Thoro]

Thes ILLEGALS, when granted amnesty, will not join traditional unions. They will form "la reza" (sp?) type unions that will only damage traditional US unions.--and, I'm guessing here, will have a lot more members than groups like Sweeney's.

Something like that wouldn't surprise me. With amnesty they'd be in a position to be more demanding about wages and benefits regardless. What I wonder is what about the market demand for the jobs they currently hold. With the border patrol, or lack thereof, as it is that's a supply and demand market that's not going to change. So the illegals currently here become legal, demand better job conditions, and also qualify for the government teat. This creates a vacuum for the positions they previously held so more illegals are going to cross the border to fill them.

And the vicious cycle repeats itself again...

[quantim]

The unions will continue to die regardless of illegals. They cannot compete (see GM, Delphi, etc.) in a free market- except the gubmint unions, of course.