Posted on May 23, 2011 by lesliemendoza
Working families have suffered far too long at the hands of a broken immigration system that divides our strength, exploits workers, and fails to live up to our values as a nation of immigrants. Today, with a progressive, pro-worker majority in Congress, we face an unprecedented opportunity to rebuild our immigration system so that it:
- Raises living standards for all workers;
- Restores the rule of law;
- Strengthens our economy; and
- Honors our values as a nation of immigrants.
Today’s Broken Immigration System Hurts all Workers:
- The problem is not immigrants or immigration; the problem is our broken immigration system. Laws are outdated, unenforceable, and we’ve lost control of our borders. Today’s outdated system is bad for:
- Workers who suffer depressed wages and poor working conditions…
- Immigrants who are separated from their families; forced to live in the shadows…
- U.S. taxpayers who must foot the bill for costly, ineffective enforcement policies…
As long as unscrupulous employers have the ability to exploit undocumented workers, the current two-tiered workforce will continue to drive down wages for all workers. This is unacceptable.
Comprehensive Reform is the only way to End Illegal Immigration:
It’s time to re-build our immigration system so that it raises standards for all workers, strengthens our economy, and restores the rule of law for the long-term.
To ensure that every job in this country is filled by a legal permanent resident, we must:
- Replace an illegal flow with a legal flow of immigrant workers that is based on real labor demand and provides full labor protections;
- Get undocumented immigrants into the system—pass background checks, pay fines, learn English, get on the tax rolls, and become U.S. citizens.
- Couple border enforcement with smart reforms in the workplace—including vigorous labor protections that will raise standards for all workers; and
- Support robust integration programs that help immigrants learn English, assimilate into their communities and participate in U.S. political life.
Instead of ripping apart families and destroying local economies, our government must find a fair and practical way to bring undocumented workers out of the shadows and into the mainstream. The alternative – punitive attacks, family destruction, and harassment without hope – is shameful and fundamentally un-American.
Now is the time to make history:
- President Obama promised to take immigration reform up in his first term
- Fixing our immigration system is a key step to fixing our economy
- Americans voted for change; now we need to see it happen
Posted on May 20, 2011 by andreperez
Everyone in the United States has the right to remain silent and the right to refuse to answer question, even of police or other government officials, other than to state your name.
Your employer cannot immediately fire you, or change or take away your union benefits because he received a No-Match letter with your name on it.
For more information or help creating a plan of action for your family or workplace, call the SEIU Local 1 Member Resource Center at (312) 233-8880.
If you are ever called into an interview meeting with your supervisor or manager so they can investigate a situation which might result in discipline, you have specific representational rights. These rights are summarized below:
+ You have the right to have a Union steward present.
+ If you want a steward there, you must ask for him or her.
+ If you do not know why your manager wants to meet with you, ask him/her if it is a meeting that could result in a discipline.
+ If your manager refuses to allow you to bring a steward, repeat your request in front of a witness. Do not refuse to attend the meeting, but do not answer any questions either. Take notes. Once the meeting is over call your steward at once.
+ You have the right to speak privately with your steward before the meeting and during the meeting.
+ Your steward has the right to play an active role in the meeting. She or he is not just witness.
These rights are called “Weingarten Rights” based on a 1975 Supreme Court decision (NLRB vs. J. Weingarten). As with all rights, if we do not use them we lose them.
