Undocumented Workers Movement Analysis

Due to the sweeping changes and global economic trends scholars tend to lose sight of the people caught up in these rapid changes (Chavez, 2013 ). Undocumented immigrants are caught up in other components of transnational problems attracting the attention of researcher’s interested primary on the economic role that undocumented immigrants play, while neglecting to focus on the complexities of their incorporation process to the society of their host country (Simich, 2009). There is a need for interdisciplinary research that helps understand the social and cultural complexities of undocumented immigrants. According to Paul Stoller, anthropologist (especially ethnography) can serve as a bridge that connects two words and interweave the distant

Labor laws in the 20th century played a major role in the lives Mexicans and caused massive deportations as well as economic concerns with congress and Anglo-Americans in the United States. Labor laws were crucial part of the immigration waves through the 20th century and made an impact to voting patterns in the U.S. Natalia Molina discuss how, “Employers

They help to preserve the societal status quo by, firstly, legitimating the exploitation of immigrants, secondly, diverting workers’ attention from the true cause of their insecure position, thirdly, splitting the labor movement and weakening class consciousness” (Castles and Kosack, 460). The first function, in particular, is practiced within American society. For instance, Mexican immigrants are subject to work in inferior labor jobs that do not pay well. Illegal immigrants are treated almost inhumane having to do low paying jobs such a meat packing that causes injuries and disease among

This thesis compares events that occurred from 1875 to the 1930’s and present day that highlights that America had a bi-polar view on immigration from the 1875 to the 1930’s and still has a similar view on immigration today. The first part of this timeframe during the 1870’s and 80’s immigrants were welcomed with open arms and were offered incentives to come to the United States, then middle class Americans realized the new immigrants coming into America could be a threat to their lively hood and profits, they changed their stance and their welcoming attitudes towards new immigrants. Middle class Americans, whose ancestors were once immigrant’s their-selves, lobbied their political parties for immigration reform, and this is still happening

The United States has maintained a tolerate-hate relationship with undocumented immigrants, and really immigrants in general. DeSoto (2016) provides a unique perspective in regards to the system surrounding undocumented immigration, “until the nature of global capital is arranged so that such [economical] asymmetries are less extreme, people will migrate towards money and opportunity and way from poverty and lack of opportunity” (p. 2). As Hilfinger-Messias, McEwen, and Boyle (2015) emphasize, more often then not when immigrants become increasingly visible in society nativism resurfaces exclusionary tendencies, and immigration policies become increasingly prohibitive and strict,

The fact that many US employers look down on, discourage, and blatantly combat unionization is not a recent occurrence as successful organization thereof can result in decreased profits and inflated personnel costs. Fossum (2012) argues that ‘employers have long resisted attempts to unionize” (p. 215) and implemented various strategies to remain union free and greedily persist in their efforts toward heightened profitability through utilization of unfair labor practices.

With the recent presidential change the U.S. immigration policies and effectiveness are being spotlighted. One of the rather tough issues is how to handle current illegal immigrants and how to put an end to illegal immigration (Schaefer, 2015). Immigrants that come to the United States are looking for the American dream or just for a better life for themselves or their families. Although, the stigma society insinuates is that of all immigrants bring terrorism, drug problems, and employment with them (Schaefer, 2015). Since the problems have been linked to immigrants, Americans have developed a prejudice towards people of Hispanic and Asian descent. Due to this prejudice towards immigrants both illegal and legal immigrants struggle to find employment (Schaefer, 2015).

Since the first human civilization, cheap, exploitable labor has been inherent to the economic system. This was illustrated in The Life of Peasants, one of the provided stimulus materials, in which it was accepted that providing for the upper classes was “the obligation of the servile class”. Ergo, the US can trace its history through the various exploited labor systems, starting with our dependance on indentured servants, to slavery, to our current reliance on undocumented workers.Unfortunately, the cultural progress indicated by the advancements of modern life, have not been paralleled by an alternate method of production. Worker exploitation, especially in agriculture, is conventional and commonplace. In the midst of the 2016 presidential primaries, with illegal immigration a hot topic among all candidates, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the people most often victimized by this system are mexican immigrants. “America’s immigration system is broken” - Hillary “The country has to be able to lock its doors” says Kasich. Trump suggests building a wall. Bernie advocates for comprehensive immigration reform and a path toward citizenship. Regardless of political leanings, our politician’s inciting statements whisper of truth. The immigration system is broken, and there is an overwhelming number of undocumented immigrants in America. An estimated 11.4 million of them (as of 2012 according to the department of homeland

In this labor structure with power disparities, each worker was positioned by race, class, citizenship and gender into strict hierarchies with corresponding responsibilities. The white U.S. adult citizens were placed at the top, working as executives or managers, living in comfortable houses with stable financial security and flexible schedules. The U.S Latinos and the mestizo Mexicans were put in the middle to low levels, with jobs ranging from administrative assistants to raspberry pickers, earning minimum wage and having less flexible time schedule. Nevertheless, the undocumented indigenous Mexicans (Triqui) who migrant from the Oaxaca, were put at the bottom, non-stop picking strawberries in dirt without breaks , living in the poorest conditions and being paid with purposely deducted minimum wage.

As I got older, the knowledge that my father negotiated with his very own employers in order to ensure that his coworkers would also reap the benefits the entire union fought for affected me on personal a level; to know that the man who drove me to school and bought for me school supplies each year also carried a responsibility to his co-workers made me rather proud. However, despite the fact that I grew up the daughter of a Union Steward, I also grew up as a teenager in today’s society: one that no longer suffers from such rampant corruption that induced misfortunes such as illegal instances of child labor: a calamity also solved by a committee aiming to better working standards. My view of labor has always been through rose-tinted glasses thanks to modern times; I really only knew of the exploits that my father had experienced from what he told me, forms recounting various union related news lying in heaps on the dinner table, and snippets on the news or the lightly-touched upon topics in my Consumer’s Education

“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance” (Nathaniel Branden). In the 1620 the Plymouth Bay was founded. Pilgrims migrated to Massachusetts, they were religious immigrants. They came to the U.S. for religious freedom. They were trying to get away from the English dissenters that were going against the pilgrims Church of England. They migrated to the land which would eventually become America, they did it to follow their own faith and religion. On July 4th, 1789 the Founding Fathers of the United States signed the Constitution in which contributes the first seven immigrants to live in the U.S., such as Alexander Hamilton. Illegal immigration is the migration of people across national borders in a way that violates

The state of California is the home to approximately 3.5 million undocumented immigrants. Given this number it is no stranger to the controversy of how best to handle this portion of the population. Recent events however, are creating a new interest in the topic. New measures are being passed, new statistics are coming out, and new relations are being formed in the state. All of this new information relating to the issue is being taken into consideration by politicians and concerned individuals try to find an alternative means of handling the concerns over immigration.

In 2015 a group of activists made a pilgrimage to Washington D.C. to witness Pope Francis. Within this group of people was a young girl with the name of Sophie Cruz, who served as a link between the immigrant’s rights group of Los Angeles and Pope Francis. According to CBS News the immigration rights group had been preparing for nearly a year (Pelly). In an interview with CBS, Juan Jose Gutierrez said that if Sophie had not been successful in Washington by attracting the attention of the Pope, they would not have not given up there, and would have continued follow the Pope to New York and then Philadelphia (Pelly). They tried to gain the attention of the Pope because he is supported of immigrant, him being one himself. They chose a child of

However, others argue that local should be the one in control and able to retain power and veto. Locals often say that their membership enjoys benefits which national unions are unable to provide. Some authors suggest that locals are more responsive to their memberships than national unions. (Chaison, & Rock 1974. p. 2 They are more aware of the problems of the individual workers as well as the employer. However, others argue that local should be the one in control and able to retain power and veto. Locals often say that their membership enjoys benefits which national unions are unable to provide. Some authors suggest that locals are more responsive to their memberships than national unions. (Chaison, & Rock 1974. p. 2 They are more aware of

In the U.S. labor relations, a group of employees who desire to bargain collectively rather than individually, are those who typically form a union (Dooley, 1957). This demonstrates to the employer that the majority of its employees support the union and the organizing process begins. First, employees cannot form a union without abiding by certain basic procedural steps and legal standards that are required. Decisions to vote against or for a union are based on factors such as satisfaction with their job, beliefs of the effectiveness of the union, and the culture or social environment in which the employee works. Next, when an employer exerts undue punishment to an employee who the employer suspects as being an illegal alien, this may be poor public policy. From a legal perspective, a recent federal court case, Singh v. Jutla & C.D. & R. Oil, Inc., 214 F. Supp. 2d 1056 (N.D. Cal. 2002) spoke to this issue. In this case, when the plaintiff Singh filed a wage claim under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the employer fired him and reported him to INS as an illegal alien (Labor Law, 1969). Likewise, the union certification process which was established by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in 1935 was a victory for workers waning union representation upon its initial implementation. Workers could petition the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a determination made democratically of whether a majority of workers favored unionization (Labor Law, 1969). This effort