For Immediate Release: June 4, 2019
Contact on behalf of IUPAT: John Doherty (617) 592-2230 or jdoherty@iupat.org
HANOVER, MD– Statement by Ken Rigmaiden, General President of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, on H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, that passed a Rules Committee vote Monday evening.
“The Dream and Promise Act will protect Dreamers, TPS holders and DED recipients, defend workers rights, strengthen our economy and keep families together. The IUPAT strongly urges Congress to secure permanent protections for Dreamers, TPS holders and DED recipients by passing H.R. 6 now.
“The building trades industry cannot afford to lose long-standing and experienced professionals, currently in high demand due to labor shortages and to maintain a highly skilled workforce. These individuals and their families are vital members of our economy, our unions, and our communities. They pay taxes, contribute to social security, and boost the US economy every day when they buy goods and services.”
“Just like Janus and Right to Work laws, the attacks on Dreamers, TPS holders and DED recipients will strip rights away from workers and members away from their unions,” said President Rigmaiden. “Our unions have a legal and moral responsibility to represent our members & defending our immigrant brothers and sisters is one more way we will do our job. We will not leave any member of our union or worker to fend for themselves in this fight.”
Removing TPS workers would cost the U.S. a total of $164 billion in GDP while kicking DACA recipients out of the workforce would cost $460.3 billion, over a decade.
The IUPAT has issued previous comments on its support for H.R. 6, the Dream and Promise Act, which is expected to come to a vote on the House Floor.
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THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES (IUPAT)
Represents a growing community of over 120,000 active and retired craftspeople in the United States and Canada. The IUPAT membership extends far beyond the workplace.
Recognized as one of the most active unions in the labor movement, IUPAT members help shape their communities in many ways: through an abiding commitment to service, by fighting passionately for workers’ rights that benefit all working families, and through effective worker education and mobilization.
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