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Is your mom someone special? Is she an immigrant? The National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) is spreading the word about winning dignity and respect for our immigrant moms, and for all immigrants, through a new Tumblr collection of stories called "Meet My Immigrant Mom."
Commonsense immigration reform at the national level must “offer a short and direct path to citizenship for all aspiring citizens already in the United States.” That was the first of six broad principles adopted by Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, a new organization of more than a dozen community groups that gathered in Northern Virginia last Saturday. A diverse assembly of more than 100 activists came together to plan for their campaign to convince members of Congress to support “true reform” of our immigration laws that respects the dignity of every individual, strengthens families and builds a stronger economy that protects workers' rights and meets the state’s needs for a trained workforce by providing access to education for all.
Alaska Workers' Voice launched a new Facebook page, "My Job," in February that highlights the human side of the state's working families. Alaskans can submit an original photo with a message that explains their job in a creative way to be posted on the page.
The Real Food, Real Jobs movement is going strong and supporters have a lot to celebrate. After a successful march and rally on U Street on March 1 in Washington, D.C., Howard University workers won a new contract with food service provider Sodexo on March 7. Members of UNITE HERE Local 23, Howard dining service workers will see an improvement in their working conditions, as well as an increase input to sustainability efforts on behalf of the university. Furthermore, the contract that was overwhelmingly approved has won workers the right to a sustainability oversight committee and access to more worker training.
The Colorado House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday that would allow DREAMer immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities. The bill now goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) to be signed into law, something he has indicated he will do. Only three Republicans voted for the bill.
Debates over Social Security and Medicare reform cannot continue inside the Washington, D.C., vacuum without "adequate consideration to facts," writes Thomas B. Edsall in a recent New York Times op-ed. Yet that's exactly what is happening—not to mention "reform" inside the beltway means "cut" for policymakers trying to forge grand budget bargains.
Last week, the United States and Iraq announced a bilateral United States-Iraq Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), signed in 2005, would likely to enter into force later this year. TIFAs provide a formal bilateral mechanism for countries to discuss trade- and investment-related issues.
The U.S. government is currently working with 10 other countries to negotiate the biggest trade and investment agreement (also known as a “free trade agreement” or FTA) in history. It is called the TPP, or Trans-Pacific Partnership. Not only will it be bigger than NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement)—it’s actually NAFTA plus eight other countries.
Source: United Public Workers For Action
