New York Times
July 19, 2001
In U.S. Unions, Mexico Finds Unlikely Ally on Immigration
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
L OS ANGELES, July 18 It is rare for foreign officials to address
labor conventions, much less raise their fist in solidarity with the
union members.
But when Mexico's foreign minister, Jorge Casta�eda, did so on Tuesday
night, saying at the hotel workers' convention here that illegal
Mexican immigrants should be given legal status to prevent their
exploitation, he got a rousing ovation.
For years, Mexico and the American labor movement were at loggerheads,
with unions denouncing the North American Free Trade Agreement for
dragging down American workers' wages and job conditions. But now
Mexico's government and American unions are making common cause on an
issue that long divided them, immigration.
Both are urging the Bush administration to grant legal status to
millions of illegal Mexican immigrants.
After decades of hostility toward immigrants, arguing that they push
down wages, the A.F.L.-C.I.O. has changed course and concluded that
the best way to prevent immigrants from undercutting American wages is
to grant them legal status and unionize them. American union leaders
also recognize that allying with Mexico on the issue will help unions
attract immigrants to their ranks by improving the image of unions in
the eyes of immigrants.
Mr. Casta�eda has spearheaded Mexico's effort to improve ties with
American unions because he recognizes that organized labor is one of
the strongest voices to advance President Vicente Fox's goal of
winning legal status for Mexican illegal immigrants in the United
States.
Mr. Casta�eda spoke at the convention of the Hotel Employees and
Restaurant Employees International Union as President Bush and
President Fox are negotiating changes in American immigrant policy to
reduce the dangers of crossing the border and to improve the lives of
Mexican immigrants.
"Their lack of legal status makes them vulnerable to employers who
undercut the competition by exploiting these immigrants," Mr.
Casta�eda told a crowd of 400 union delegates who gave him four
standing ovations.
Raul Hinajosa, a researcher at the University of California at Los
Angeles, who serves as a consultant to the Fox administration on
immigration, said, "If they want to move this issue forward in the
United States, they know U.S. labor can play a make-or- break role on
an issue Mexicans care about."
Noting that President Fox has met with several American labor leaders,
Mr. Casta�eda said the Mexican government was eager to strengthen ties
with American labor after labor's bitter fight against the North
American Free Trade agreement soured relations with Mexico.
The Mexican government and organized labor are pushing to give legal
status to illegal immigrants as the Bush administration has faced
intense opposition from conservative Republicans not to agree to such
a step.
Organized labor is looking to Mexico to advance its call for amnesty
for the more than five million illegal immigrants, a position that the
A.F.L.-C.I.O. adopted last year after decades of hostility to illegal
immigrants. But unions are now reaching out to immigrants, seeing them
as a source of growth and energy, rather than a threat.
"Immigrants are in every workplace in the United States, and they're
not leaving," said John Wilhelm, the president of the hotel employees'
union and the chairman of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s task force on
immigration policy. "We have to make it clear to immigrant workers
that we're on their side."
Labor leaders support granting legal status to illegal workers because
that in theory makes them less vulnerable to exploitation since it
enables them to make workplace demands and assert their rights without
fear of deportation. In demanding legalization, the labor movement
also gains favor with not just illegal immigrants who are allowed to
join unions but also legal immigrants who want legal status for
relatives or for friends from their hometowns who are here illegally.
Eager to reverse its membership slide, organized labor is focusing
increasingly on recruiting immigrant workers, especially low-wage
ones, and has had some of its greatest recent success unionizing
Mexican immigrants who work as janitors, hotel maids, hospital aides
and farm workers. Many Mexican immigrants, reared to idolize Cesar
Chavez, the legendary Mexican-American farm workers' leader, see
unions as the best way to climb the American economic ladder and
secure better wages and fairer treatment on the job.
The American labor movement and the Fox administration have worked
intensely to improve ties, partly because they share an interest in
improving the lives of Mexican immigrants. In January, Mr. Fox met
with John Sweeney, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., and on Monday he
met in Detroit with James P. Hoffa, the Teamsters president, and
Stephen Yokich, president of the United Auto Workers.
Last month, Mr. Wilhelm and the presidents of the service employees,
farm workers and laborers unions went to Mexico to meet with Mr.
Casta�eda to discuss legalization of illegal immigrants and labor's
concerns about the business community's push to expand the guest
worker program.
"I frankly think the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s new position in immigration has
had a big impact on having people think that fundamental reform will
be possible," Mr. Wilhelm said.
In a half-hour speech, Mr. Casta�eda said the Mexican government would
not agree to the Bush administration's business-backed proposal to
allow in far more guest workers each year unless there was also some
agreement on granting legal status to illegal Mexican immigrants.
Mr. Casta�eda said Mexico also wanted the United States to agree on
ways to promote economic growth in Mexico and on a higher annual quota
for permanent legal immigrants from his country.
"It's either the whole enchilada or nothing," Mr. Casta�eda said.
To add momentum to the push for legalization, the hotel workers' union
voted today to establish what it called an Immigrants Freedom Ride,
modeled after the freedom rides of the 1960's civil rights movement.
Under the union's proposal, buses carrying illegal immigrants would
drive from California and other states to Washington, D.C., daring
immigration authorities to arrest them while publicizing the legal
limbo and job difficulties faced by these immigrants.
Mr. Wilhelm said, "The reason I think there is an opportunity for
significant immigration reform is both parties, but most especially
the Republicans, who I think are smarter on this than the Democrats,
are figuring out that the new citizens' vote is likely to be the
determining factor in what will probably be a close set of elections
in 2002 and 2004."
Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company
