STITCH Reader's Guide and Discussion Topics

The Other Immigrants

Immigration is an issue that impacts workers around the United States and around the world. And immigration is not a stand alone issue, imbedded in any discussion on immigration are other critical topics, such as trade policy, out-sourcing of jobs (both out of the U.S. but also out of Central American and Mexico as well,) culture, language and identity as Americans.

In presenting these stories, STITCH hopes to engage unionists and activists around the country to think more about immigration. Who are immigrants? Why are they here? Who is trying to keep working people separated? Who benefits? Who pays? Are women being treated differently? All of these questions are important and so is having the conversation with our union sisters and brothers. This reading guide is way for you to start this conversation in your union or organization. It is our hope that this book is just the beginning of a long conversation on this vital topic.

General Questions:

1. The whole premise of this booklet is that women are often unseen and unheard in the debates about immigrants and work. Do you think this is true? If you are a woman, what do you think you have in common with immigrant women? What do you think is different? How would life change if you lacked documents? How would this impact your family? Your willingness to speak up at work?

2. Recently the below comment appeared on a web blog: “Another Side to Race and Immigration” by Black Commentator , Bill Fletcher, Jr.,

“Recognizing the racial factors of immigration should help one understand that much of what we are witnessing is a scape goating of Latinos for much larger forces and factors that are underway in US society. ….immigrants are the victims rather than the source. I have also addressed immigration to the USA as a major result of US foreign policy that has destroyed the political and economic infrastructure of so many countries, e.g., El Salvador . The scape goating that we are seeing, including the rise of violent militias and public demonstrations against immigrant day laborers, tends to focus on the Latino as if it is the Latino who is the source of all of our problems.”

Do you think there is scapegoating going on? Who benefits by this? Who is hurt? Who makes the decisions about immigration laws? Salaries? Benefits? Is it the Latina workers?

3. Immigrants have been a part of U.S. history since the beginning of this country. There have been identified waves of immigrants for hundreds of years and in each era there have been backlashes against them. Read the below passage.

“___ immigrants often crowded into subdivided homes that were intended for single families, living in tiny, cramped spaces. Cellars, attics and make-do spaces in alleys became home. Not only were many immigrants unable to afford better housing, but the mud huts in which many had lived in had lowered their expectations. ____ immigrants often entered the workforce at the bottom of the occupational ladder and took on the menial and dangerous jobs that were often avoided by other workers. West Virginia coal operators fired union laborers and gave the jobs to _____ Immigrant workers because, “[the] coal company owned them.”

What would you use to fill in the blank? Would it change your mind if you knew that this was written about Irish immigrants in the U.S. one hundred years ago? Is there a backlash today? Why do you think that is?

4. Undocumented immigrants are often accused of lowering wages for all workers by their willingness to work for less than minimum wage. But often that same willingness is a factor in creating low prices for the many goods and especially the food in our supermarkets. Do you benefit from lower wages paid to undocumented workers? What products do you use on a regular basis do you think were made by exploited workers in the U.S. ? What about in other countries? Do you think this has an impact on immigration?

Questions on Specific Stories

South Florida

•  Maria Isabel talks about how her father was involved in the Union in Honduras . Obviously that plays a role in her views of unions in the United States . If unions were stronger in other parts of the world, how do you think that would impact union organizing drives in the U.S. ? Or immigration?

•  Also in Maria Isabel's story, the supervisor tries to take advantage of her and her lack of knowledge of English and of U.S. laws. How often do you think that happens in workplaces with immigrants (both documented and undocumented?) What are different tools that unions and activists could use to stop this?

•  In Giselas' story she talks about unionist being killed in Honduras . How do you think that impacts immigrant workers in the U.S. views of unions? What message could you use to counter that fear?

•  Workplace safety is a very important issues, as well as healthcare. Do you know other workers who have had health problems because of their work? What can the union do to help workers protect their health? How can this topic be used as an organizing tool?

Mississippi

•  Yudy had a bad experience with the local union. What can unions do deal with workers that may have had a bad experience with unions in the past? Does that change if the union was in another country?

•  Community unionism is a different style of unionism that is usually defined as a partnership between unions and community groups to fight together for the rights of workers, with community groups supporting strikes and other union actions. It is also characterized by unions supporting broader community issues that are important to workers across the whole community, not just unionized workers. In this story, the community group and the union seem to sometimes work together but don't seem to trust each other very much. How do you think this collaboration could work better? Do you think the idea of community unionism is good? Is that how your union currently works?

•  Yudy talks some what about her experience with race in the United States . How do you think race impacts all of us in our workplace? Do you think there is a stereotype of Latina workers? What about other races? Do think that is a part of your union as well? How does racism weaken the labor movement generally? And specifically in our own community?

California

•  Many immigrants experience a life that is very unstable because of their status. They are forced to move often and change jobs frequently. How do you think this would impact someone's ability to become active in a union? What about to learn English?

•  From her story, you can tell that Marta is an organizer and agitator as well as a social worker and good friend to everyone. Her organizing includes helping people find food and housing, organizing for more public transportation as well as helping workers fight to receive their full pay and to have a safer workplaces. Do you think that a union could provide this type of support? Is this part of the job of a union? Why or why not?

•  Marta challenges unions to go out to parks and to get out of union halls to find workers where they hang out. How does your union reach out to workers?

•  Sexual harassment and discrimination against women are still a part of our work places, both for immigrant and non-immigrant women. How can women join together to challenge this? What role can and should the union play?

•  Petrona talks about the civil war in Guatemala and how that impacts how she sees her surroundings and how she sees unions. Many of us never learn about the history of other countries and the role the United States has played there. Where are the main groups of immigrants in our community from? What is the history of their country? How can having this information help us to organize that community?

•  Thelma talks about her childhood and the fact that she couldn't complete school. In most countries in Central America , public education is not free. In addition, children are often required to work or to take care of other siblings. Do you think this plays a role in pushing parents to immigrate? How do you think it impacts families to have parents leave their children?

•  Many immigrants come to the U.S. and are very vulnerable to misinformation. Thelma talks of how she was told the fare machine in the bus would cut her fingers off. How does this lead to workers being exploited? How can others help? What kind of “cultural” education could you do?