How Big Labor moved toward a pro-illegal- alien agenda

This is shortened repost of an article by Numbers USA, and i wish to give them full credit for this post:

Reid immigration flip followed labor's flip on immigration - Washington Times

How the U.S. labor movement adopted a pro-illegal alien/pro-illegal immigration stance, against the best interests of U.S. workers. Looks as if it is simply a matter of politics: they cannot win unless they get the Hispanic vote, and getting hispanic votes means supporting appeasement of illegals, and open borders illegal immigration.

"By 1993, unions were already beginning to target politicians who labor believed to be “anti-immigrant.” Union writer Randy Shaw writes that in 1999 the SEIU held its convention in Los Angeles where UNITE HERE President John Wilhelm and SEIU Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina worked to change the AFL-CIO immigration policy at the time, proposing immigration amnesty...

"According to 2007 Congressional testimony by Center for Immigration Studies board member Cornell economist Vernon Briggs:

" At its 1993 Convention, the AFL-CIO drastically reversed itself from it past course. It passed a resolution that praised the role that immigrants have played in building the nation. It proceeded to demonize unidentified critics of immigration reform especially critics of illegal immigration (which by this time was a national issue again despite IRCA). It then called upon local unions to develop programs to address the special needs of immigrant members and potential members. Clearly, a new immigration position was emerging within the leadership of the AFL-CIO."

Union leaders previously known before the early ‘90’s for standing against illegal immigration figured their sinking membership numbers could be improved if amnesty was given to illegal immigrants who could be easily organized

"prior to the late 1980s, the labor movement either directly instigated or strongly supported every legislative initiative enacted by Congress to restrict immigration and to enforce its policy provisions."

"In February 2000 the Executive Council of the American Federation of Labor—Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) announced it was changing its historic position. It would now support expanded immigration, lenient enforcement of immigration laws and the legislative agenda of immigrant advocacy groups. Subsequently, AFL-CIO officials publicly explained that the organization was now “championing immigrant rights as a strategic move to make immigrants more enthusiastic about joining unions.”

By 1999, organized labor officially changed their immigration policy:

'At the October 1999 AFL-CIO convention, the pro-immigrant element made its move from the convention floor. Unions representing janitors, garment workers, hotel workers and restaurant workers argued that the labor movement needed to abandon its past and embrace immigrant causes if it is to survive. They sought to end the use of employer sanctions and they sought to enact another mass amnesty for those who had entered illegally since the last general amnesty in 1986.'

'To avoid a public confrontation, the issue was deferred until the AFL-CIO Executive Council could take up the issue in February 2000. It did so and following that meeting it announced that it would seek to have the employer sanctions provision of IRCA repealed and that it would fight for another general amnesty for most of the millions of illegal immigrants in the country at the time. At the leadership level, at least, organized labor chose to become a supporter of the immigrant agenda even if that agenda imperiled the economic well-being of vast numbers of the American work force.'