President Barack Obama's immigration reform drive got a boost Thursday in the form of a joint statement of principles from the AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, but the two coalitions cautioned that despite months of talks they still haven't settled on the details or resolved all their differences.
"We have found common ground in several important areas, and have committed to continue to work together and with Members of Congress to enact legislation that will solve our current problems in a lasting manner," the statement from AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue said. "We are now in the middle – not the end – of this process, and we pledge to continue to work together and with our allies and our representatives on Capitol Hill to finalize a solution that is in the interest of this country we all love."
The basic understanding seems to be that companies would do a better job informing American workers about job openings and unions would acknowledge that—despite labor movement rhetoric to the contrary—in some low-skill fields Americans just aren't willing to do the work.
A key point of agreement seems to be the creation of "a professional bureau in a federal executive agency" to assess labor shortages and aid determinations about when foreign workers can be admitted for low-skill jobs. Labor groups had favored a commission to make such determinations. The joint statement is silent, though on whether the new bureau would control guest-worker visa issuance or just provide data that would inform the process.
"American workers should have a first crack at available jobs. To that end, business and labor are committed to improving the way that information about job openings in lesser-skilled occupations reaches the maximum number of workers, particularly those in disadvantaged communities," the joint statement says. "There are instances – even during tough economic times – when employers are not able to fill job openings with American workers. Those instances will surely increase as the economy improves, and when they occur, it is important that our laws permit businesses to hire foreign workers without having to go through a cumbersome and inefficient process."
The statement also calls for greater flexibility in the process, so the supply of foreign labor "automatically adjusts as the American economy expands and contracts."
The key proponent of immigration reform in the Senate, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), has said that his colleagues were waiting on the outcome of talks from the AFL-CIO and the Chamber before proceeding on parts of the legislation having to do with guest workers. Schumer's group had hoped for a formal recommendation from the labor-business conclave by last Friday. However, POLITICO reported last week that the discussions had reached an impasse.
Both sides denied that report, but the statement Thursday suggests that the labor-business negotiating team is returning a less-than-fully-baked product back to Congress for its action.
UPDATE: Senator Marco Rubio, one of the so-called gang of eight working on reform, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor both welcomed the joint statement though noted there is much more to work out.
"It's good the unions have recognized there must be a workable visa program for lesser-skilled workers as we reform our legal immigration system," Rubio spokesman Alex Conant said in a statement. "An effective guest-worker program is a key principle agreed to by the bipartisan group of senators, and we are working out details in the ongoing Senate discussions. While we are encouraged by today's announcement, there is much work left to ensure we end this process with an effective guest worker program in place. Given the bipartisan support for a guest worker program, the president's continued refusal to support it is puzzling."
“I applaud the Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO for coming together to find common ground in an effort to reform our broken immigration system," Cantor said in a statement. "Their goal of protecting American workers and ensuring we have the workforce we need to grow the economy and remain globally competitive is one I share. While we may not agree on every aspect, it is encouraging that two groups often on opposite sides of the aisle are serious about putting politics aside and finding solutions. Let’s hope we can follow that lead in the months ahead.”