Unions try to organize illegals

NY Times:

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.

“The labor movement will work together to make sure that the White House as well as Congress understand that we speak about immigration reform with one voice,” Mr. Sweeney said in a statement to The New York Times.

But while the compromise repaired one fissure in the coalition that has favored broad immigration legislation, it appeared to open another. An official from the United States Chamber of Commerce said Monday that the business community remained committed to a significant guest-worker program.

“If the unions think they’re going to push a bill through without the support of the business community, they’re crazy,” said Randel Johnson, the chamber’s vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits. “There’s only going to be one shot at immigration reform. As part of the trade-off for legalization, we need to expand the temporary worker program.”

...

The failure of comprehensive immigration reform had little to nothing to do with union support or lack there of. It was a true grass roots rebellion against the failure of government to enforce immigration laws. It appears that the Obama administration is already going back to the failed policies of the past, which means opponents of the "reform" will be just as eager the next go round.

Labor thinks it can grab some new members and new dues with this plan. I am skeptical and I also think it is counter to the interest of American workers, who have been replacing the illegals at firms that have been raided. They have also gotten higher wages as a result of the crack down on illegals. Why would labor be against this? Probably because they don't think they can organize the new workers getting higher pay.

This Times editorial gives the game away:

...

The ingredients of reform are clear: legalization for the 12 million, to yield bumper crops of new citizens, to make it easier to weed out criminals and to end the fear and hopelessness of life in the shadows; sensible enforcement at the border that focuses resources on fighting crime, drugs and violence; a strengthened employment system that punishes businesses that exploit illegal labor; and a future flow of workers that is attuned to the economy’s needs and fully protects workers’ rights.

...

What they mean is a bumper crop of new Democrat voters to ensure the survival of liberalism. It would not be limited to 12 million sense the lack of consequences for coming here illegally would only encourage more illegal immigration and more opportunity for future Democrat voters as a new path to citizenship would be needed. There are a lot of problems with this reasoning. There is already a path to citizenship that is being taken advantage of in record numbers these days because we have started enforcing the immigration laws.

The Obama administrations return to the failed policies of the past will only mean more illegals.