Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Building Power with Immigrant Workers

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Forty-one leaders from 16 unions gathered at BAC Local 3’s training hall in Phoenix to learn about new tools to protect the workplace rights of immigrants. Immigrant workers who take collective action will now be eligible to apply for temporary status protections and a work permit.

“This is a game changer. Immigration threats will no longer be a weapon for the boss to use to crush worker organizing and lower pay,” said Fred Yamashita (UFCW; pictured above, standing to the right), executive director of the Arizona AFL-CIO. “These new protections are a perfect example of the kind of policies we can achieve when we elect pro-worker candidates. The real way to raise wages and grow our unions is by expanding rights and protections for all of us, regardless of where we were born. Organizers are excited to put these new tools into action!”