Say DC 37 Organizing Battle at Conservancy Shows Latino Barrier
By DAVID SIMS
Even as a new survey showed that Hispanic workers are the fastest-growing part of the labor movement in New York, efforts by District Council 37 to unionize the Central Park Conservancy workers display the continuing struggle to overcome intimidation of immigrant workers.

Statistics from the survey, conducted by the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Center for Economic and Policy Research, show that union contracts cover 25.5 percent of Hispanic workers statewide, in line with the 26.4 percent of the overall workforce that is unionized.

Pays Off in Wages, Benefits

A Hispanic worker in a low-wage job covered by a union contract earns 17-percent more than the non-union equivalent, and a unionized worker is also twice as likely to have employer-sponsored health benefits and a pension plan.

Countering the clear benefits of unionization for these workers, intimidation and anti-union animus still exists in New York, according to DC 37 organizing director Edgar DeJesus, who has been campaigning to organize non-union workers at the Central Park Conservancy. "Many of the workers are Latinos, and immigrants," he told the Institute. "Although Central Park is the property of New York City, the majority of employees are paid by a private institution. Upon learning of workers' desire to have a union, the CEO of Central Park Conservancy embarked on a campaign that spread fear to those workers."

Mr. DeJesus emphasized the importance of the Employee Free Choice Act, the proposed Federal legislation that is designed to fight intimidation and establish a simpler system for workers to join or form unions. "If the EFCA had existed, these workers would already have a union, given that [the] majority had signed union cards this past January," he said.

Sonia Ivany, president of the New York City Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, agreed with the sentiment, saying, "employers rarely allow workers a choice to join a union, and in numerous cases intimidate workers who support unionization. That's why the Employee Free Choice Act is a top priority for labor."

The Democratic nominee for President, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, has pledged to sign the bill into law once Congress approves it. His Republican rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, opposes the measure.