InsideSources

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka argued Thursday that job training alone isn’t enough while discussing workers who have been displaced by technology.

The U.S. economy has changed rapidly in recent years as technology continues to innovate at an ever-increasing speed. But caught in the middle of that change are workers with skills that are being replaced with robots and computers. President Donald Trump has looked to strengthen and expand training programs to help ensure workers get skills that are still in demand.

Trumka addressed the issue while speaking during a panel discussion at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas. He argued that training alone isn’t enough and that more needs to be done to ensure workers aren’t hurt by these new technologies. He added that unions already train many workers but that hasn’t fully addressed the issue.

“We train people, that’s what we do,” Trumka said during the discussion. “That’s not the issue, training them to do what? And if in fact the logical conclusion is technology shrinks all the jobs so that there are not enough jobs for those in the society, that training only makes you, first it makes you, in my instance, you’re an unemployed miner, then you get trained to be a computer programmer, so then I was an unemployed computer programmer.”

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in a 2011 report that the federal government spends about $18 billion annually on job training programs. Former President Barack Obama, for instance, invested $90 million into a federal program focused exclusively on apprenticeships – an area the current administration has been looking to expand.

Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta has been at the forefront as the administration has looked to expand training opportunities. He has argued that the increasing reliance on a college degree has resulted in a younger workforce with a narrower skill set that leaves many good jobs unfilled. The administration has looked towards apprenticeship programs to provide more diverse skills.

“We have to look at the jobs and how we are going to deploy or share the benefits of that technology,” Trumka said. “It cannot continue to go to the little group at the top while the rest of the people get less and less.”

Acosta has clarified that he isn’t opposed to people getting a college degree – but rather that people need to dispel the notion that a liberal arts education is the only pathway to a good job. He argued during a congressional hearing Nov. 15 that the solution is to instead encourage people to pursue job training that matches their interests and talents.

President Donald Trump has taken a particular interest in apprenticeship programs as a way to train the workforce. He signed an executive order last year to encourage the Department of Labor to find ways to expand those programs. Acosta has since led those efforts by visiting successful programs, funding research, and meeting with experts.

Trump has overseen steady labor market gains since entering office over a year ago. But issues like wage growth and the skills gap remain a concern that his administration is looking to address. Acosta has argued that part of the solution is to streamline the process by which the government certifies apprenticeship programs.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently reported that job openings currently stand at 5.8 million. The number of unemployed persons per job opening has steadily declined since it jumped dramatically in response to the last recession almost a decade ago. But there are still millions of working-age adults without work.

Economists have looked at various solutions to potentially address the skills gap problem. Some believe the skills gap is occurring because people are not being provided needed skills through school and training. Others assert the issue is the result of certain industries not paying adequate wages to attract skilled talent.

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Labor unions denounced the administration in response to a decision Monday that could result in the deportation of thousands of Salvadorans.

President Donald Trump has made immigration a cornerstone of his agenda with his administration taking an aggressive approach to the policy. The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program has become one of the targets of the administration as it has looked to rollback the legal status of hundreds and thousands of immigrants.

The TPS program allows foreign nationals to stay in the country legally if they are unable to return to their home country safely. Labor unions and other groups have been fighting to save immigrants covered by the program, and they have denounced Monday’s decision which will end the protected status for 200,000 Salvadorans.

“The decision to terminate TPS for El Salvador was made after a review of the disaster-related conditions upon which the country’s original designation was based,” DHS detailed in its announcement. “The Secretary determined that the original conditions caused by the 2001 earthquakes no longer exist. Thus, under the applicable statute, the current TPS designation must be terminated.”

The DHS is hoping to allow for an orderly transition by delaying the terminations until Septemeber 2019.

Labor unions have argued that ending the protected status for these immigrants could be disastrous for families, communities, and employers. They note that these immigrants have integrated into society and become part of their communities in the many years they have been here.

“DHS is taking nearly 200,000 law-abiding American immigrants and turning them from legal workers into targets for deportation,” Unite Here vice president Maria Elena Durazo said in a statement. “Not only will terminating TPS for 200,000 Salvadorian workers take away their livelihoods and the life they’ve spent decades building here, but it will tear apart hundreds of thousands of families with mixed immigration statuses, including many with American born children.”

Unite Here has been on the front line fighting to save these immigrants over the past year. The union has organized protests, launched petitions, coordinated with industry groups, and met with lawmakers to save the protected status for these immigrants. The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country, has also worked to brings awareness to the issue.

“[The] decision will force hundreds of thousands of hardworking people who have lived in our country and played by the rules for decades into the shadow economy,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement. “This decision will not only destabilize families, communities, and workplaces, particularly in the construction, hospitality and service industries, it will undermine our freedom to fight together for better wages and equality at work for all working people.”

The AFL-CIO also tweeted that the administration is undermining families and entire communities. The union federation also encouraged its followers to call their representatives to demand they pass legislation that will help these immigrants. Congress has been considering a few proposals aimed to do just that.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) also took to social media to encourage people to fight back against the administration during the upcoming election in November. The union also suggested that there may be a racial component to the decision – noting that it follows a pattern by the administration which selectively hurt immigrants, people of color, and workers.

“SEIU takes this decision personally,” SEIU international vice president Rocio Sáenz said in a statement. “Thousands of people in our communities, our coworkers, our members and their families are now in danger of being forced out of their jobs and into the deportation queue without reason. We are going to be burning up the phone lines to push Congressional action.”

The DHS made three decisions last year which terminated the protected status for Sudanese, Nicaraguan, and Haitian immigrants. Those decisions also included a phase-out period. Labor unions have argued that the decision to extend their protected status merely delayed the problem.

The TPS program also includes immigrants from countries like Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Labor unions are hoping to see the protected status of these immigrants extended until the government develops pathways for them to stay permanently.

Congressional members from both sides of the aisle have worked together in the hope of countering the decision to end the protected status for these immigrants. They introduced a bill Oct. 31 that would allow TPS migrants who arrived in the country prior to January 13, 2011, to claim legal permanent resident status.

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A recently passed right-to-work law in Missouri was criticized by labor unions Monday during their annual four-day convention in St. Louis.

The AFL-CIO convention brings together union leaders and advocates from across the labor movement. Speakers discussed a range of political and workplace issues including right-to-work. The convention highlighted a campaign out of Missouri which seeks to repeal the statewide right-to-work law.

The We Are Missouri campaign is being led by labor unions and supporters hoping to repeal the law. Members of the campaign took to the stage during the convention to highlight what has been done so far. They were able to get a repeal of the policy on the ballot next year after collecting 310,567 signatures.

Missouri has considered several right-to-work bills over the years before finally passing one Feb. 6. The policy outlaws mandatory union dues or fees as a condition of employment. But supporters of the policy still face resistance from labor unions and other critics. We Are Missouri showcased a video during the convention of workers from the state who oppose the new law.

“We know that right-to-work is wrong for all Missourians,” a retired railroad conductor said in the video. “We are here today united as Missourians, united as workers to tell politicians and special interests we will not be defeated.”

The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of labor unions in the country at 12.5 million members. The convention has covered topics from worker rights, wage inequality, racial inequity, and the current state of politics. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka was also reelected to another four years at the start of the convention.

Labor unions and their supporters argue that optional dues encourage workers to free-ride. They are obligated to represent all workers regardless of whether they pay dues once they get voted in as the exclusive representative. They have denounced the policy as an underhanded attempt by special interests to destroy unions by attacking their funding.

The free-ride argument is used against both lawsuits challenging mandatory union payments and right-to-work laws. But those in support of the policy argue it’s really about worker choice. Many unionized workers might genuinely dislike their union and the benefits they provide.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) has conducted a months long campaign to educate people in Missouri about the new law. The group has been an advocate for the policy and hopes to show workers what their new rights are under the law. The six-figure effort has also included digital video and display ads, direct mail, events, door-to-door canvassing, and phone banking. They sent the fourth round of mailers Monday about the new right to work law.

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Labor unions took to social media and Capitol Hill Wednesday to demand that lawmakers end a free trade agreement which critics claim has hurt domestic workers.

Labor unions have long argued that domestic workers have been unfairly disadvantaged by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). President Donald Trump has also been highly critical of the deal and is now looking to renegotiate it. The free-trade deal was first implemented in 1994 between Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Trump and the labor movement don’t agree on much despite both being focused on helping workers. International trade is one of the few areas they have some common ground. Labor unions furthered their opposition campaign Wednesday by taking to social media and delivering 400,000 petitions to congressional lawmakers.

The Replace NAFTA campaign helped organize the demonstration against the trade agreement. The campaign is supported by Public Citizen, Citizen’s Trade Campaign, and the Sierra Club. The AFL-CIO, which is the largest federation of labor unions in the country, also supports the effort.

The Replace NAFTA campaign also hopes to eliminate what is known as the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system. The ISDS is a function of international law included in many trade agreements including NAFTA. It is a mechanism for using neutral arbitration to resolve investment disputes between companies and countries.

Trump broke with many others on the right by criticizing current trade policy during the campaign. He has already started the process of renegotiating NAFTA. The fourth round of negotiations started Wednesday with a meeting at the White House between the president and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Labor unions used the opportunity to demand that the trade deal be replaced with something that helps workers. The AFL-CIO and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) were among the unions that delivered 400,000 petitions to lawmakers. The unions have also launched informational campaigns and participated in protest against the trade agreement over the years.

The AFL-CIO has often argued that international trade agreements have been used to benefit large corporations at the expense of workers. NAFTA has become the main target for unions and many other critics. The AFL-CIO suggested earlier in the year that the trade deal be reformed to include new labor and procurement rules, consumer protections, and protections against currency misalignment and tax dodging.

Trump has made working-class issues a cornerstone of his administration. Immigration and international trade became major components of his agenda with concern cheap foreign labor is undercutting domestic workers. He has also expressed concern over currency manipulation by countries like China.

U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer detailed what the president hopes to accomplish June 22 during a congressional hearing. The administration plans to renegotiate trade deals to be fairer and more efficient, enforce trade deals more aggressively, and increase domestic exports.

Trump has already delivered on one major campaign promise by withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The agreement would have been the largest regional trade deal in history at roughly 39 percent of global GDP. Former President Barack Obama was unable to get much support from fellow Democrats when trying to get the deal implemented.

CNN reported that the trade negotiations might soon be facing challenges. President Trump, according to the reports, has made several proposals that threaten to undermine negotiations. Trump may then have an excuse to scrap the trade deal entirely and start from scratch.

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The country has been battered with a string of hurricanes that have left southern states and territories in ruin. But from the destruction arose individuals and groups determined to help those in need. Labor unions were one such group that rallied together to do what they could to help the massive effort.

The Teamsters were able to put their resources and connections together to collect supplies and transport them to areas in need. Teamsters Local 988, in Southern Texas, established a relief center in a warehouse where they coordinated with groups from across the country in response to Hurricane Harvey hitting the state.

“This isn’t our first disaster relief here in the Houston area,” Teamsters Local 988 President Robert Mele told InsideSources. “We had gone through this with Hurricane Ike. But it was kind of more in a specific area, not throughout the whole region that we represent.”

Mele also serves as the president of the Teamsters Joint Council 58 which oversees local chapters in Southern Texas. Hurricane Harvey impacted nearly all of his members across the region. He adds it was also different compared to previous hurricanes because so much of the destruction was brought on by heavy rain and flooding.

“Once the storm had cleared, it’s common that other mobile units will call and offer assistance, and it was the same thing that happened this time except on a much grander scale,” Mele said. “Literally all four corners of the United States were coming in trying to help, not just our local, but the citizens of Houston and the surrounding areas.”

Mele and his members started to prepare when they heard the hurricane was approaching. Once the hurricane had hit, the first step was securing a space where they could bring in supplies for those in need. R2 Corporation provided them a large warehouse which the union was able to setup in once the storm had passed.

“When we figured out these hurricanes were coming it, it was pretty scary because I’m thinking, how are we going to handle this,” Mele said. “We started searching for somebody who would either lease us space or donate space for a warehouse. We happened to walk into a place that had no union exposure at all. Knew nothing about unions.”

R2 Corporation was in the midst of expanding into Houston from Austin when the hurricane came. The company had already donated the space to first responders so they could safely keep their supplies as they awaited the hurricane. Once the hurricane had passed, the company then turned the warehouse over to the union.

“It was really a blessing that this company didn’t have a preconceived notion of what unions were,” Mele said. “We just sat down and talked about it, and we both were on the same page. We wanted to do something to help, not only our members, but the community, and we got this warehouse space given to us.”

The Teamsters were able to start collecting supplies once they had the space. Trucks from across the country arrived from other local chapters and various groups hoping to help. R2 Corp. management had planned on moving into the space around Labor Day but instead kept all the new equipment in Austin to keep the facility clear.

“We had just opened up a new facility in the Houston area, and we did not get flooded,” R2 Corp. President Ed Garcia told InsideSources. “The Teamsters were able to bring materials in, store them, and distribute them out to the needy in Houston.”

R2 Corp. specializes in repair, asset recovery, and environmentally friendly recycling solutions. The new facility covered 81,000 square feet between its warehouse and processing center. The first responders originally used the facility to sleep, store their boats, vehicles, and the other supplies as they awaited the storm.

“The opportunity was there and we were able to open it up,” Garcia said. “The Teamsters were great to work with. I’m on the management side and it was great to see them, the outpouring of what they did for the community and their fellow brothers.”

The Teamsters then started focusing on getting supplies to their members and the community. The warehouse gave them the space to unload supplies, organize them, and then distribute them. The operation needed to be efficient and fast because many people were in a dangerous situation.

“We had to get these trucks unloaded,” Mele said. “Then we had to have the space to sort through and separate all the stuff that people needed so we could get it out. We did not want to be a warehouse. We wanted to be there for disaster relief. So when things came in, we wanted to sort it, we wanted to get it to our members, but also to the community, what they needed.”

Mele recalls how they couldn’t even get into their own building when the hurricane first cleared because of the destruction. But they were able to start moving into the warehouse within the first couple days with the first responders leaving so that they could help in the rescue effort.

The George R. Brown Convention Center was setup as a nearby emergency shelter for Houston area residents. The convention center is large enough to shelter thousands of people. The Teamsters started coordinating with officials at the shelter early on when they were having trouble uploading trucks.

“We would receive calls from people working at the George R. Brown, from a state senator, or the mayor’s office asking us for assistance,” Mele said. “We got a desperate call from the mayor’s office asking for forklift drivers. They said at the George R. Brown they had opened a shelter, and they have all these trucks showing up that they can’t get unloaded.”

Mele didn’t have forklifts around but knew people who did. He quickly turned to social media knowing that the convention center needed help as quickly as possible. The plan worked as nearby people who had access to forklifts quickly started showing up.

“I put it on Facebook, believe it or not, that they are in desperate need,” Mele said. “In about 30 minutes later we got a call saying ‘please stop sending forklift drivers because they were all showing up.’ And then the next day, maybe a day and a half later, I get a text that says ‘Robert, these guys on these forklifts, they’re amazing. The way they can get this stuff off and separated, it would take us days to do what we do in just a few minutes.'”

The Teamsters hit the ground running and were soon distributing supplies to members and other local residents. The union also coordinated with other groups to get them supplies and necessary equipment. At one point the union began sending trucks directly to the convention center.

“We had some trucks come in from Boston, and we had a call from the mayor’s office that they needed water, supplies, and diapers for the George R. Brown,” Mele said. “Those trucks were sent to the George R. Brown so we could help the community.”

The Teamsters were able to setup and hit the ground running quickly despite earlier concerns. But some groups trying to help weren’t as lucky. They noticed what the union was able to do, and turned to them for assistance so they could start helping people too.

“Some of these other locations that were trying to setup the same type of operations were then coming to us saying. ‘how do we do this because we have very good intentions, we have a lot of stuff coming in,’ but they didn’t really know what they were getting into,” Mele said.

Mele recalls how one relief center was setup in a warehouse that dated back to somewhere around the 1940s. The building had clearly not been used for many years. It was dirty and had not been updated to include necessities like a loading dock.

“It was filthy in front, first of all, the second thing is they didn’t even have a dock,” Mele said. “So they were backing up semi-trucks, and they were unloading from the truck to the ground. You can’t do it like that. If you do it like that you’ll be here for years just trying to get it all separated.”

Mele notes that different areas across the region are recovering at a different pace. Some areas are still in desperate need. But he notes they are generally now in the phase of helping their members start to rebuild their homes. They still have a lot of work to do, but are moving forward.

The Teamsters Joint Council 58 and its local affiliates weren’t the only unions trying to help people in need. Harvey was followed by hurricanes Irma and Maria which caused immense damage across Florida, Puerto Rico, and other areas around the Gulf of Mexico.

The Texas AFL-CIO coordinated with other unions and local affiliates to help as well. The union established a worker relief fund to directly support union members, community allies, their families, and neighbors. It has also listed volunteer opportunities so members who can help are able to.

The Communications Workers of America held a fundraiser to raise money for families impacted by the storm. The American Postal Workers Union, the International Longshoremen’s Association, and others have also raised money to help people in need.

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Labor unions oppose few policies more than they do right-to-work laws. But one former state union president Friday endorsed the policy as a critical workplace right.

Ben Johnson has served as a union president for both the Vermont AFL-CIO and the state chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). But upon leaving the unions, he began to reconsider his views on labor matters. His chance to reflect brought him to favor a policy that is paramount to sin in union circles.

Labor unions have long denounced right-to-work as an underhanded attack on unions and worker rights. The policy outlaws mandatory union dues or fees as a condition of employment. Johnson argues it is time to eliminate forced dues so that all workers have the right to choose whether to join a union.

“I support right-to-work nationwide in the private sector, in the public sector, in any other sectors that unions create, full stop,” Johnson said in an online video. “I think it’s time to eliminate unions’ right to collect mandatory agency fees from non-members.”

House Republicans introduced a bill Feb. 1 aimed at making union dues and fees optional for all workers. The U.S. Supreme Court may soon consider a case that would end forced dues for all public-sector workers. Johnson argues both would be a huge win for worker freedom.

The National Right To Work Committee (NRTW) published the video to give the former union president a chance to express his views. He took the opportunity to detail how he came around to support a policy he was taught to hate. The NRTW has been at the forefront of advocating for right-to-work laws.

Labor unions and their supporters argue that optional dues encourage workers to free-ride. They are obligated to represent all workers regardless of whether they pay dues once they get voted in as the exclusive representative. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the union position in the 1977 case Abood v. Detroit Board of Education.

“The union is obligated to give them the same representation it gives to all the members who actually pay dues, so why give people a way to get something for free,” Johnson said. “Except wait. Unions choose to bargain contracts that cover the entire bargaining unit, members or not. They could bargain contracts that cover only members.”

Labor unions often overlook that being an exclusive representative isn’t the only way they can organize. Member only unions aren’t obligated to represent nonmembers or anyone not paying dues or fees. The downside is they lose monopoly rights which block other labor groups from trying to organize established bargaining units.

Johnson recalls working on an ambitious campaign to organize childcare providers throughout his state. The campaign was modeled after what unions in other states did like the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Many of the providers were just individuals providing a service through state subsidies.

“This was the leading edge of public sector union organizing,” Johnson said. “Bring quasi-public employees into the union. There were thousands of individuals and centers providing childcare in Vermont and participating in a program where they would be paid a subsidy by the state to provide childcare for low-income families.”

Johnson describes how they created a bargaining unit where one really didn’t exist. The childcare providers were independent contractors and small business owners. The plan was to organize in the field while pushing legislation that classified the providers as state employees for the purpose of organizing.

“If you think that scheme doesn’t have much in common with the normal agency fee case I laid out earlier, you’re exactly right,” Johnson said. “Of course it doesn’t. It uses agency fees as a strategy to build a union that we never even dreamt would be supported by a majority of the providers. In fact, it is more likely true that even if we had succeeded at any given time a majority of the providers would not even have known there was a union.”

Johnson notes that they didn’t even expect to get much in the way of additional funds. It was unlikely they would get enough dues paying members after the cost it took to organize them. Rather the idea was to become the voice of a sympathetic group that talks to many people which could be leveraged for political reasons.

The U.S. Supreme Court dashed their plan with a decision that halted similar union campaigns in states across the country. Harris v. Quinn determined in 2013 that states cannot make laws that allow unions to collect dues from people who weren’t workers in a bargaining unit.

“I don’t expect to bring around to my way of thinking any union officers or staff still in the wilderness,” Johnson said. “To them the words and arguments I utter are only tools the forces of capitalism use to bust the union. In the union view, the only analysis that counts is the one that says without bargaining unit contracts and agency fees unions will be weaker.”

Johnson recalls that his motivation was primarily to seek power for the union. The labor culture was combative as a means of survival, but that often put the union at odds with everyone else including their members. He was finally able to see things from a different perspective when he left just a few years ago.

The Vermont AFL-CIO and AFT Vermont did not respond to a request for comment by InsideSources.

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Labor unions took their opposition to the Senate healthcare bill online Wednesday where they are encouraging workers to fight back against the legislation.

Republican lawmakers have worked to fulfill a major promise to voters by replacing the Affordable Care Act. Senate leadership introduced a replacement last week amid mixed reviews. Labor unions are now ramping up their opposition online in the wake of a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Some unions even started calling their onslaught of opposition tweets a “twitter storm.” Labor unions argue that the bill would be devastating for working families and low-income individuals. Some even called it a life or death situation. They encouraged their followers to join in to make their opposition to the bill known.

“Senate Republicans want to take Medicaid from 15 million ppl,” American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) tweeted. “That’s a bad deal for working families.”

The CBO analysis added fuel to the opposition. The report states the bill would cause 22 million people to lose insurance by 2026. It also found the bill would reduce federal deficits by $321 billion over the coming decade.

“Healthcare is a human right,” the AFL-CIO tweeted. The unions then urged supporters not to let Senate Republicans, “take it away from 22M hardworking Americans. Call your senator now!”

The AFL-CIO and other unions expressed particular concern over proposed cuts to Medicaid. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka added that the bill is a vicious assault on health care security. AFL-CIO local chapters have already started to hold protests against the bill. The American Federation of Teachers held its own protest in Washington D.C.

“The Senate GOP healthcare bill is a shameful bill that leaves 22 million people without insurance,” the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) tweeted.

Local unions contributed to the tidal wave of negative tweets even more so than the national affiliates. Some smaller unions even targeted their local representatives directly. SEIU local 32BJ claimed the bill would destroy healthcare to give millionaires tax breaks.

The Teamsters union encouraged its followers to keep up the fight after a temporary victory Wednesday. Senate leadership decided to delay the vote amid growing opposition from within the party. The union encouraged those opposed to keep calling their senators.

SEIU President Mary Kay Henry‏ added that healthcare bill would result in an immediate decline in health-sector employment in 17 states. 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East announced plans on Facebook to hold a candlelight vigil Wednesday night in opposition to the bill.

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Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta and the labor movement came to vastly different conclusions over how withdrawing from a recent multinational climate agreement will impact jobs.

The Paris Climate Accord seeks to address environmental issues mankind might be contributing to. The agreement specifically sought to address greenhouse gas emissions, which many believe are responsible for climate change. President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement arguing it wasn’t a good deal for the United States.

“On these issues and so many more, we’re following through on our commitments,” Trump said Thursday at the White House. “I am fighting every day for the great people of this country. Therefore, in order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.”

The decision by the president to withdraw was already being met with political battle lines before it was officially announced. His administration and many others on the right applauded the decision as a good move for the economy. Democratic leaders denounced it as destructive to the environment.

“The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris climate accord is this administration’s bold commitment to promoting pro-growth principles and rebuilding America’s manufacturing base, which was under siege by the Paris accord,” Acosta said in a statement. “The U.S. Department of Labor remains laser focused on ensuring all Americans have access to good, safe jobs and will continue standing arm-in-arm with the American worker.”

National unions expressed a vastly different viewpoint when it came to the decision. While unions traditionally lean left, environmental issues tend to have a bit more of a gray area since so many union members work in industries that would benefit from projects like the Keystone XL pipeline.

“Pulling out of the Paris climate agreement is a decision to abandon a cleaner future powered by good jobs,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement Thursday. “A deteriorating environment is not the only thing at stake here. When our leaders isolate America from the rest of the world, it hurts our ability to raise incomes for working families and achieve fairness in the global economy.”

The Paris Climate Accord was negotiated by representatives from 195 countries at a 2015 global climate change conference in Paris, France. Former President Barack Obama and his administration became major advocates for the agreement in his final years in office.

“By withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, President Trump and his self-interested political allies are killing the creation of new industries and jobs,” Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, said. “Already, in the United States, clean energy jobs vastly outnumber fossil fuel jobs, with solar and wind energy at the forefront.”

President Trump was able to withdraw from the agreement because it wasn’t considered a treaty under domestic law. Obama did not get consent from the Senate which would have been required. Without Senate approval, the president had no legal obligation to uphold the agreement.

“For many years, the United States has been a leader in innovation and technology to combat climate change,” United Steelworkers President Leo W. Gerard said. “Withdrawing from this non-binding agreement further cedes our strength in this sector to China, and signals to domestic innovators and manufacturers that the United States will not support them.”

Trump has centered his presidency on a promise to help domestic workers and the economy. The president has argued on many occasions that the government has failed workers and companies alike. Reducing Obama-era environmental policies have been a major focus of that message.

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Labor unions have long marked the first of May as a time to celebrate and fight for worker rights. The labor movement used the occasion this year to fight instead for illegal immigrants.

President Donald Trump promised throughout the campaign to fight illegal immigration. Those opposed to Trump have been highly critical of the president for wanting to clampdown on those here illegally. Several leading national unions joined forces with immigration reform advocates during a nationwide protest to commemorate May Day.

The CASA in Action partnered with the unions and other advocates who helped organize the protests in Washington D.C. The AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and others were among those that helped. Several protests were planned across the city, and all eventually converged on the White House.

“We want equal rights,” a Washington D.C. protester who identified himself as Eli M. told InsideSources. “That’s why I’m here because we want justice. I think everyone deserves an opportunity, not just some people, but everyone. We’re all humans and I think this is a fight for equal rights and that’s why I’m here today.”

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

Trump has proposed a number of immigration reforms that have angered critics on the left. He has focused on stopping illegal immigration, protecting domestic workers from foreign competition, and protecting against terrorists. Some believe the issue started way before the president took office.

“We’re here to support the immigrants in the country,” Carlos Artola, a protester in Washington D.C., told InsideSources. “It seems to go up and down with every administration. Every time we’re here to support them so they can get a better quality of life.”

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

Artola adds the current administration might be worse depending on how someone views it. His big concern is instead the policies and viewpoints that target immigrants. Washington D.C. protester Manuel Caceres agrees that the issue isn’t new, but counters that the president has undoubtedly made everything much worse.

“This is nothing new,” Caceres told InsideSources. “It doesn’t matter what person is in the White House. The only difference with the president right now manifested more, not against, but signed executive orders that really affects families. Families that are here for years working and making this country.”

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

President Trump promised throughout the campaign that he would build a wall along the Mexican border. He also signed two executive orders which were designed to temporarily prohibits travel from several Muslim-majority countries. Critics were quick to denounce both moves.

May Day has been used by the labor movement as a protest day since the late nineteenth century. The tradition started as a way to commemorate workers who were injured or killed during the Haymarket Square riot in Chicago in May 1886. The day has been used to celebrate workers and various other causes ever since.

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

“I understand that this is International Workers’ Day,” Jared Lane, a protester, told InsideSources. “We’re mostly focused on the Muslim ban, and the wall, and any immigration deportation in general.”

Caceres believes it is possible to find a middle ground that would address concerns on both sides. He would be open to compromises so long as immigrants that aren’t causing problems are treated fairly and left alone. He adds those immigrants who do bad things should be punished.

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

“I want to see a middle ground, something that is fair for everybody,” Caceres said. “We don’t count people who come in and do wrong things because everyone deserves what they deserve. People that come in and do the wrong thing, yes, they deserve justice. The law applies to everyone, doesn’t matter where they come from.”

Artola agrees that it is possible for both sides to find a common ground. The new immigration system could focus on national security instead of immigrants who are here just to work. Lane counters that there is no middle ground. He instead believes the goal should be open borders.

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

“I don’t see a middle ground,” Lane said. “The European Union has open borders between their countries, and yeah they have seen an influx of refugees, and also terror attacks, but I don’t think the correlation has one to do with the other, with the amount of immigrants pouring in and the attacks on those countries.”

An ideal system that addresses all the major concerns people have could prove unlikely. Caceres states any solution is likely to have problems, but it can still be designed to be effective. He adds the new system just needs to ensure it works for everyone and is fair.

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

“The ideal system is really hard to tell you because it never exists–a really perfect system,” Caceres said. “It’s something that should work for everyone.”

Eli dealt with the immigration system in a very personal way in recent years. He notes that his father was deported just two years ago. His father had been living in the U.S. for close to three decades and has since been unable to return from Mexico.

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

“My father was deported two years ago so that’s a biggie for me,” Eli said. “My kids ask for my father, and I can’t find words to tell them exactly what happened because I don’t want them to fear whatever is going on now.”

Eli also believes the current system is racist. He argues it disproportionately impacts people of color more than those who are white. The current system doesn’t make determinations based on race but does include special exemptions for close allies that make it easier for their citizens to immigrate or find temporary work here.

May Day Immigration Protest (Connor D. Wolf/InsideSources)

“The system should be equal,” Eli said. “The system shouldn’t target people just because they’re a different color. I think that’s the greatest thing because racism now is very bad.”

Protesters converged on airports and cities Jan. 27 when the original temporary travel ban was signed. Trump has faced a slew of protests since winning the presidency. Activists have gathered to oppose his rhetoric on women, his stance on environmental issues, his stance on immigration, and many other issues.

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