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| Guest worker deal clears way for US immigration bill | Guest worker deal clears way for US immigration bill |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Business leaders in the US have reportedly reached agreement with the nation's largest federation of unions over a proposed guest worker programme for low-skilled migrants – a move that would seemingly clear the way for an immigration reform bill in Congress. | Business leaders in the US have reportedly reached agreement with the nation's largest federation of unions over a proposed guest worker programme for low-skilled migrants – a move that would seemingly clear the way for an immigration reform bill in Congress. |
| The Associated Press and the New York Times carried stories on Saturday claiming that the Democrat Senator Charles Schumer had brokered a deal between Thomas Donohue, president of the US Chamber of Commerce, and Richard Trumka, head of the AFL-CIO, on Friday evening. | The Associated Press and the New York Times carried stories on Saturday claiming that the Democrat Senator Charles Schumer had brokered a deal between Thomas Donohue, president of the US Chamber of Commerce, and Richard Trumka, head of the AFL-CIO, on Friday evening. |
| The issue of guest-worker pay had become one of the final sticking points holding up a proposed bill on immigration, with union leaders pushing for a higher wage than business groups were willing to give. Under the proposed agreement that was reported on Saturday, employees would receive either the existing pay of American colleagues or the prevailing wage for the industry they were working in – whichever was higher. | The issue of guest-worker pay had become one of the final sticking points holding up a proposed bill on immigration, with union leaders pushing for a higher wage than business groups were willing to give. Under the proposed agreement that was reported on Saturday, employees would receive either the existing pay of American colleagues or the prevailing wage for the industry they were working in – whichever was higher. |
| The agreement would cover tens of thousands of low-skilled temporary workers brought in during staff shortages in, for example, the construction and hotel and restaurant sectors. The proposed programme would be capped at 200,000 workers a year, but that number would fluctuate depending on unemployment rates and shortages in certain sectors. The deal still needs to be signed off by Schumer and seven colleagues who make up a bipartisan immigration-reform negotiating team. But the deal is thought likely to be approved by the group, now that agreement has been reached. | The agreement would cover tens of thousands of low-skilled temporary workers brought in during staff shortages in, for example, the construction and hotel and restaurant sectors. The proposed programme would be capped at 200,000 workers a year, but that number would fluctuate depending on unemployment rates and shortages in certain sectors. The deal still needs to be signed off by Schumer and seven colleagues who make up a bipartisan immigration-reform negotiating team. But the deal is thought likely to be approved by the group, now that agreement has been reached. |
| Consensus over the guest-worker programme removes one of the biggest hurdles to completion of the immigration bill – reform that could create a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US. The bipartisan Senate group is expected to introduce the bill after Congress returns from its two-week recess on 8 April. | Consensus over the guest-worker programme removes one of the biggest hurdles to completion of the immigration bill – reform that could create a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US. The bipartisan Senate group is expected to introduce the bill after Congress returns from its two-week recess on 8 April. |
| The New York Times reported on Saturday that Schumer had contacted the White House to inform the Obama administration of the agreement between unions and business. President Obama has been a major advocate of reform to the US's immigration system and had threatened to publish his own plan if consensus cannot be forged in Congress. | The New York Times reported on Saturday that Schumer had contacted the White House to inform the Obama administration of the agreement between unions and business. President Obama has been a major advocate of reform to the US's immigration system and had threatened to publish his own plan if consensus cannot be forged in Congress. |
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