Richard Trumka admits there's no labor shortage, but won't admit how amnesty would harm Americans (AFL CIO, immigration reform)

First, the good news. Richard Trumka - president of the AFL CIO - admits that complaints about a labor shortage are bogus. He recently said this (link):

"When we talk about immigration reform, the (US Chamber of Commerce) will squeal about the shortage of workers... But wages are not going up, which indicates there is no shortage."

Of course, that hasn't stopped Trumka from joining with the Chamber to push comprehensive immigration reform, even as he admits they see "reform" as a way to lower wages.

Now, the bad news. Trumka either can't figure out how "reform" would greatly harm Americans workers, or he won't admit it. From the same article:

If Congress passes an immigration reform bill that allows most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants to gain legal status and eventual citizenship, it will help boost paychecks for both the immigrants and U.S. citizens, Trumka said.

“I think when 11 million people come out of the shadows, they will have more rights and we will all benefit,” he said at a newsmaker breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor. “The way things work now, they get stiffed on their pay, and they have no way to enforce their rights.”

Among those rights would be the right to join or form unions, Trumka said. Latinos are the fastest-growing group in the U.S. labor movement, nearly doubling from about 6 percent of unionized workers in 1983 to about 12 percent today.

“Latinos that have a union make significantly more than those who don’t working in the same jobs,” Trumka said.

The problem with the his quotes is that many of those covered by "reform" will not be "working in the same jobs": they'll be able to move up. Someone who - as an illegal alien - will only be able to find jobs picking crops or installing drywall might be able to work federal construction jobs after they're legalized. Someone who - as an illegal alien - will only be able to find jobs doing housekeeping at small motels might be able to work in an office after they're legalized.

That's great for those former illegal aliens, but it's horrible for all those Americans who'll now have hundreds of thousands of new competitors for scarce jobs. Previously those Americans weren't impacted by competition from illegal aliens because their employers couldn't hire those here illegally, but those former illegal aliens will now be able to compete with those Americans for their jobs.

That's also a great situation for employers: they'll have cheaper labor.

Lower wages for Americans, cheaper labor for employers, and all thanks to a union leader.

At the same time, all those former illegal aliens moving up will create a vacuum at the lowest end of the labor market. The same crooked companies that currently pay off politicians to allow illegal immigration will continue that practice to bring in a new set of illegal aliens.

The above is good for the dues income of the AFL-CIO and it's a great way for the Democratic Party to obtain more power.

But, the above is very bad for the U.S. and very bad for American workers.

Please take a moment and look up those who support the AFL-CIO on Twitter or who speak to or with @RichardTrumka and encourage them to put the fate of American workers ahead of more dues for the AFL-CIO.