As Congress (unfortunately) reconvenes there has been a predictable procession of log-rolling stories in the MSM trying to create a bandwagon effect to support a new version of last year’s Kennedy-Bush Amnesty/Immigration Acceleration Bill. The standard tactic is to claim that victory is in the bag because of collusion between the White House, Senate Republicans and the Democratic leadership. And indeed, if the matter was entirely left to these elements, it might well be, even if the Democratic delegations as a whole are less certain.

But a new pothole may be developing on the road: the AFL-CIO. A commendably alert piece of reporting (Democrats’ ties to labor could complicate immigration reform - By Dave Montgomery The Mercury-News Sunday January 7 2007) relates that the disastrous guest worker concept in particular is in trouble:

the AFL-CIO is better positioned to confront a powerful coalition of business groups that is pressing for a temporary worker program to bring in thousands of foreign workers each year… AFL-CIO officials say the program is designed to give business a steady source of cheap labor and would take jobs from U.S. citizens.
“We don’t believe our elected representatives are ready to adopt legislation that creates paths for corporations to import workers (and) reduce working standards in the United States,” said Ana Avendando, associate general counsel for the AFL-CIO. “That’s exactly what guest worker programs are.“

(VDARE.com empasis)

From the point of view of the American unionized worker, the current managing bureaucracy at the AFL-CIO, which has been in place a long time, should all be fired. They have stood by virtually silent while Washington, bought by employer interests, has launched the most brutal attack on the living standards of their members and workers in this country generally since the Great Depression. That has been the effect of the failure to stem the influx of low-skilled labor since the 90s. It is all documented in Ed Rubenstein’s VDARE.com archive. Any union officer not familiar with this data needs different employment.

Some Union leaders, indeed, have abandoned their constituents, seeking a new “electorate” amongst the newcomers. This is a direct betrayal of the Gompers tradition.

But Union bureaucrats, at the end of the day, are, like Congressman and Senators, politicians needing re-election. Indeed, they may be more responsive to their members whose numbers and income level affects their life style directly. Up till recently, most AFL-CIO comment on the debate has been simplistic support of the Democratic national leadership, with some distressing signs of excessive influence by ethnic lobbies. Now, perhaps, the Grass Roots are having some input (see, for instance, this sensible piece from their website on importing nurses).

The AFL-CIO website is notably reticent about contact details. However, Union members in particular amongst VDARE.COM readers (we know there are a lot) should invest a few minutes in sending the AFL-CIO their views. Applaud the essay on Nurse importation, and ask for more.