Ray Marshall/EPI Proposal on Immigration Reform

by Duane Campbell

The Economic Policy Institute reports that it is guiding a new approach to immigration reform.

“The Economic Policy Institute has been central to a revived effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform that is workable, fair and beneficial to the overall economy. The plan grew from a paper by former Labor Secretary Ray Marshall, published two years ago as part of EPI’s Agenda for Shared Prosperity. That initial concept has been expanded and refined through conversations with interested and allied groups, and its principles have been endorsed by both the AFL-CIO and Change to Win. Among the innovative concepts is the establishment of an independent commission to monitor industry trends and labor needs for future immigration. Given the new political climate in Washington, there are hopes that with a common sense plan and a united front, including labor and immigrant advocates, real reform can be implemented this year.”

This new framework requires careful examination. The proposals are based upon a paper by former Labor Secretary Ray Marshall and they repeat arguments he has been making since the 1980’s.

Steve Early on the UHW-W Trusteeship Hearings

This article by Steve Early describes an attempt by national SEIU to impose sanctions on Local 509 in Massachusetts in retaliation for opposition led by its local president John Templeton at SEIU’s 2004 Convention. Templeton’s opposition centered around tightening restrictions on SEIU’s imposing trusteeships on local unions. In 2005 SEIU held “jurisdictional hearings” to determine whether Local 509 should be dismembered and merged into the National Association of Government Employees. Because of strong member opposition aided bv media disclosures about the excessive salary of NAGE’s president, SEIU backed down and Local 509 remained autonomous.

Early also criticizes the selection of Ray Marshall as hearing officer for the pre-trusteeship hearings on UHW-W. The editors of TalkingUnion prefer to reserve comment pending reports on the conduct of the first two days of hearings. We invite your thoughts on the implications of SEIU’s selection of Marshall as an external officer to hear the case against UHW-W and make recommendations.