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."

[freeangel]

"and the vicious cycle repeats itself again..."

Ah, but hasn't that been the plan since Reagans amnesty? No enforcement was ever done to protect the US. The vicious cycle was preplanned and not about to stop--EVER.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Union Leaders Boo McCain on Illegal Immigration

[glowworm]

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.

Guest workers are only usfull for highly intensive, hard labor jobs. Sweeny's union is not really helped by that kind of influx. Most manufacturing jobs are now being done with high-tech robotics and sophisticated machines. (Well, the ones that aren't going out of the Country..) More jobs could go this way in the future, not less.

The Democrats get their strength by a coalition of ORGANIZED groups. Sometimes they do not all agree, but stick together in odd ways and hold their nose to get into power.

[Bean Counter]

Let's not get too excited until we see if Sweeney is trying to form Illegals Local 101...

[virgil]

You're right. This is why they need to secure the border before ANY legislation is passed on immigration.

[Mike Darancette]

"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.

The unions would agree to second-class status for illegals as long as they are the overseers.

[altura]

I'm amazed that the unions have their heads this much above sea level.

They have been way in the same camp as Blacks, just campaigning hugely for dems, who have done NOTHING for them.

Unions were against NAFTA; dems didn't even pretend to fight it.

The dems are not really for working people and sometimes I think the union leadership is not either.

[jmaroneps37]

This division will grow and fester as the Sweeney side ( AFL-CIO) struggles against the Stern/Hoffa side the SEIU and other already broken away unions. Nothing that can possibly come from this can be helpful to the Democrats. One of these sides will have to make a sharp break away to the anti illegal alien side. The Democrats are already stuck on the pro illegals side. Of course Sweeney will never support a Republican so he will likely support no one in November. That will hurt the Democrats. The SEIU can not U turn and support the Democrats all out because that was the main issue in their split to begin with. If they did just start automatically supporting Democrats, the purpose of their break away would be defeated and the will come off as mere opportunists.

[NewJerseyJoe]

> Thes ILLEGALS, when granted amnesty, will not join traditional unions.

Guest Workers' Local #1053

Can't you just see it now?

[Mind-numbed Robot]

The dems are not really for working people and sometimes I think the union leadership is not either.

It is when you are thinking that way that you are correct. Unions are Communist surrogates. Where Marx said the masses, Sweeney says the workers. The Communist encouraged and fomented class warfare. The unions create a divide between management and labor. Union leaders and Communist Party leaders function the same. They take money from the masses (workers) and promise them security (high paying jobs and benefits). Both eventually kill the goose.

Sweeney wants union membership to BE the guest worker program. Join a union and you are home free with a good paying job, security, and in short order, citizenship. They only want to replace "guest workers" with union members. The unions have been bleeding membership badly and this is a way for them to get back flush quickly.

Poetic justice, but not good for the country, would be for the illegals to form their own unions and undercut the AFL-CIO with lower wages and harder workers. Also, if the politicians ever developed any courage they would be easy to find, round up and return.