Building Trades News

Immigration Reform?

By Richard Slawson, Executive-Secretary

During the week of June 4th, the United States Senate began their debate over a terrible immigration bill. Luckily, enough Senators, both Democrats and Republicans, voted against ending debate to kill the bill for at least that week. Immigration concerns have been raising the awareness of average Americans to the ongoing damage that uncontrolled, illegal migration is causing to the economy. With tens of thousands entering the country, minimal effects would be felt, however, with millions of people from around the world coming here illegally each year, our country has not been able to maintain wage levels in a large number of industries. At the same time other issues such as health care, schooling and housing have been constantly in the news and immigration has undermined all three. Why would President Bush be proposing immigration legislation that rewards law breakers and business owners who hire illegal aliens? Because it is the policy of Big Corporations, Big Oil, Big Money and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is a disgrace that our government won’t enforce the immigration laws that are already in place. There is sufficient law to correct the massive illegal immigration that has undermined the American economy, if only the Administration in Washington, D.C., would budget the funding necessary for sufficient border agents to be hired, surveillance technology and a mandatory employer’s employee verification system. Why don’t they? Because of the “Big Four’s” opposition. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, apparently speaking for Businesses in America, has taken positions on immigration that are anti-American. Not only do they not support our current immigration laws and enforcement procedures, they are pursuing changes in immigration policy that would allow for more foreign competition against American workers, citizens or not. They use the same rhetoric that President Bush has been propagandizing to the American public about “jobs that Americans won’t do. ” In a position paper from earlier this year the U.S. Chamber said; “Experts estimate there may be as many as 10 million undocumented workers throughout the country who are working hard and performing tasks that most Americans take for granted but won’t do themselves, in such industries as construction, landscaping, health care, restaurants and hotels and others. ” This is the same lie that has helped to perpetuate the ongoing illegal immigration stampede and the same one you hear from business owners who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. However, we know that there are American citizens and legal immigrants who will do these jobs. We see them every day. They are our family, friends and neighbors who come home tired after working in these industries and who, because of the unfair competition created by businesses hiring illegal immigrants are working for less than they should or aren’t working full time. This position also ignores the millions of Americans and legal immigrants who are unemployed that would jump at the chance to be employed on these jobs with decent wages and benefits. But, that is the issue for business owners – they don’t want to pay decent wages and benefits. In the Construction Industry most employers follow the law and hire legal workers, however, the Associated Builders & Contractors’ Association (ABC) espouses a different view. Since the ABC is anti-union and anti-worker rights, it would be expected that they would want a glut of workers so that their small number of contractors (understood to be around 11,000 nationally) would continue to pay substandard wages. But, the ABC goes even farther by supporting the idea that those contractors who have employed illegal workers should not be held in violation of current immigration law and be authorized to continue to employ the same workers without any thought to available legal workers being given opportunities. They also support an expanded “guest” worker program that would allow for more non-U.S. citizens to be employed when at the same time the ABC opposes established apprenticeship training to fill the skilled worker needs of the country. The ABC goes farther in their attacks on workers through their opposition to Prevailing Wages being required for “temporary guest workers.” It is obvious that their entire plan revolves around using the immigration laws to find workers who will work for ever- lower wages. The Craft International Unions and their Building & Construction Trades Department have crafted a sensible alternative to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Bush and the ABC plans. Our Policies includes a call for strong border security measures to combat the threat of terrorism and the treat to labor standards of U.S. Workers by the presence of an unprecedented number of people in the U.S. illegally. An employment eligibility and mandatory electronic work-eligibility verification system and effective employer sanctions with real penalties is included as well. The Crafts’ Policy also opposes any new temporary worker program which would allow the importation of non-immigrant labor instead of investing in the recruitment and training of new U.S. workers. The immigration crisis must be addressed, however, we can’t let the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and their underlings control the debate. With the Building Trades Crafts’ Policy of common sense and fairness being our guideline, we can argue for immigration legislation that considers the needs of U.S. working families first. You can get a copy of the Building Trades Craft Unions Immigration Policy on-line at www.bctd.org so that you can forward it to your elected officials. This is a huge battle against the worst of dictatorial business interest and it will only be won if every American participates in the discussion. You must help to have any chance of success. You can call your Senators and once legislation discussions start in the House of Representatives, call your Congressman or Congresswoman to let them know how illegal immigration affects you and your family. They will only listen if millions of us make calls and this is an issue that will generate that much interest.

 

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