From Enemy to Friend: Unions & the Immigrant Community
Written By Luis R. Garcia Chavez / VFT 2021
Unions and immigrants have had a tenuous relationship since the inception of employment unions. For most of their existence, unions have had a hostile perception of immigrants, and more so of undocumented immigrants. They believed that these workers were causing their wages to fall and a reduction in union power against the employer. However, as union rates have dramatically dropped, their relationship with the immigrant community (which is a significant part of the workforce) has changed. Unions are now attempting to gain immigrant support and membership to compensate for major losses. Unions are now becoming the ally of the immigrant community against draconian policies that have harmed both the immigrant community and labor unions.
Unions should aggressively court immigrants for membership to bolster their numbers and power. As stated in the Thinkprogress article “Labor Unions Move to Protect Immigrants, Regardless of Legal Status” by Esther Yu Hsi Lee, as anti-immigrant union leaders are retiring and being replaced, unions have aggressively pursued the support of immigrants by providing protections and services for their immigrant workers in order to bolster the shrinking number of unions. They have negotiated with employers to ban employee requirements of additional documentation to prove legal status, fought against E-Verify and on-site deporations, and notified undocumented workers of I-9 audits by Homeland Security. Unions are understanding that a sanctuary-workplace is needed to combat employers' abuse of immigrant workers and to boost union power. It is true that wages and leverage powers will fall with the presence of immigrant workers—not because of the employees, but because of the employers. A lacking sanctuary-workplace will allow employers to implement fear and abuses towards immigrants that cut wages and benefits. In order to permanently resolve this phenomenon, unions must recognize immigrant workers and push for sanctuary policies that undercut the draconian policies of employers.
For unions to enhance their power, they must provide extensive services to undocumented immigrants to build trust between these groups. As stated in The Guardian’s “Unodocumented Workers Find New Ally as Unions Act to Halt Deportations,” by Mike Elk, many unions are uniting to prevent the deportations of co-workers at their workplaces and fighting against management and hostile union leaders who notify ICE of undocumented employees. This is a clear example of how unions would be able to expand their influence over a growing workforce. The immigrant community is an optimistic but incredibly cautious group that is very skeptical of any institutions who promise change and protection. This display of solidarity and community protection is an effective method of convincing these communities to join a union, while converting union groups from anti-immigration to pro-immigration. This will allow unions to more properly leverage employers, while simultaneously expanding the political power of the immigrant community to allow sanctuary policies in government and workplaces.
Uniting the struggles of unions and immigrants has been a major goal of my life. As both a member of the working class and an unodocumented resident, I have experienced the struggles of both worlds. Being a member of the working class has shown me the inherent inequality in the work and economic system that we live in. I cannot disagree with my manager without the fear of getting fired. I am limited by the pulls of paying bills and feel trapped in a dead-end job with no chance of alternative employment. I am stuck working a backbreaking job that does not pay nearly enough to maintain me and others without further governmental boosts. Calling off one day of work may result in warning or an incredible strain in my finances. As an undocumented individual, I have faced the fear of getting deported while I am at work. I have hit a brick wall in how much I can progress in a job because of the extensive background checks associated with my legal status. I have been forced to work in the most exhaustive jobs—from metalwork to shipping and receiving—because I cannot apply for positions that give better compensation & benefits. Altogether, these two issues intersect in such a way that pushes people to the edge. Sanctuary4All is needed to protect immigrants from the fear of getting deported while at work, while unions need to aid these immigrants to bolster their membership & political reach. To resolve this inequality, unions and the undocumented community must come together to push for Sanctuary4All and advocate for unions that will end employers’ monopoly on power.