LABOR BACKS WORKER AMNESTY.Byline: Dominic Berbeo Staff Writer A national labor initiative aimed at granting residential amnesty for undocumented workers got support Wednesday from local community leaders in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . The AFL-CIO AFL-CIO: see American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. AFL-CIO in full American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations U.S. plans to hold a public hearing in Los Angeles next month to discuss its first-time campaign to seek amnesty for the estimated 6 million undocumented workers nationwide. ``Workers coming to this country face inhumane in·hu·mane adj. Lacking pity or compassion. in  hu·mane ly adv. treatment like
nonpayment of overtime, unsafe work conditions and extended work
hours,'' said Eliseo Medina Eliseo Medina (born 1946) is a labor activist who, in 2007, is involved in proposals for U.S. national immigration reform. Medina, born in Huanusco, Zacatecas, Mexico, the son of a Bracero, had been a farm worker in Delano since completing the 8th grade. , vice president of the Service
Employees International Union.
``We think people will be more sympathetic to their situation when they see their faces and see they are hardworking people.'' The June 10 meeting at the Sports Arena is expected to draw local and federal officials, 67 immigrants rights groups, and 5,000 participants, wrapping up a series of similar meetings organized by the union around the country, said Neal Sacharow, spokesman for the L.A. County Federation of Labor. Others supporting the amnesty at a news conference downtown included Catholic Bishop Gabino Zavala of San Gabriel, Jimmy Rodriguez of the United Food and Commercial Workers The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union is a labor union representing approximately 1.4 million workers in the United States and Canada in many industries, including agriculture, health care, meatpacking, poultry and food processing, manufacturing, textile and , and Ken Wong of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of Asian-Pacific American trade union members affiliated with the AFL-CIO. It was the first and remains the only national organization for Asian Pacific American union members. , among others. Miguel Contreras, secretary-treasurer of the LACFL, said the unions are also seeking new federal laws that would punish employers who exploit undocumented workers. ``We need to continue building coalitions with immigrant community and religious groups that have contributed to labor's best traditions,'' Contreras stressed in a written statement. |
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