[Marxism] Re: Immigration in the....

[dwalters@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

The trend now is for most immigrants to stay. As border become somewhat more
tight, migtrants from Mexico are bringing their whole families to settle
permently.

At any rate, the fact is, that most of the migrant workers in construction in
California are in fact quite permenent. At $20/hour, no one is quiting to
return back home (union or non-union). The fact is that Godena's union has
*given away* commerical residential construction to non-union developers for
decades now, perferring the more lucrative 'uptown' contracts in commerical
construction.

Also, in California, both his union, mine, and others to the degree they've done
organizing (and I should note that the Laborers union in this state is probably
80% immigrant now) have done so among immigrant Latino workers. Unlike Godena's
"experience", my experience is just the opposite, that workers without
mortgages, the bass boat, the garage toys and the irrigation system for the
front AND back yards, are easier by far to organize than those with those
admentities. They have less to loose.

Only those unions that have taken pro- or neutral positions toward immigrants
can organize anyone these days. Take a hostile attitude, like Godena, you're
deand.

David Walters
IBEW Local 1245


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