WHEREAS immigrant workers are often the most abused and exploited members of the workforce often unable to advocate effectively for their rights; and

WHEREAS union membership would help these workers to achieve fair wages, decent benefits and safe working environments; and

WHEREAS in many instances, employers have threatened to report undocumented workers to the Immigration and Naturalization Service both for the purposes of denying these workers decent working conditions and to frustrate workers’ unionization efforts; and

WHEREAS many of these immigrant workers, notwithstanding their legal status, have lived here for many years, paid taxes and contributed to their communities; and

WHEREAS our foreign born domestic partners are not offered equal rights to immigrate under the law which is highly disruptive to our families;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that PAW chapters actively support efforts of the trade union movement to unionize immigrant workers, and to aid immigrant workers in their efforts to achieve legal immigrant status in the United States;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that PAW incorporate LGBT and HIV/AIDS related immigration resources and proposed legislation into its educational materials and website;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that PAW advocates for the children of domestic partners and the domestic partners of American citizens to have the same immigration and naturalization rights as traditional families;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that PAW endorses the resolution supporting immigrant workers’ rights passed by the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO of February 16, 2000;

AND BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that PAW supports HB 690 Permanent Partnership ACT to allow permanent residents to sponsor their permanent partners for residence in the U.S. and for other purposes.

Submitted by:
PAW Executive Committee