<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4807.2300" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you want to see where Dems v. Republicans matter, just watch wistfully at Labor Board decisions in the waning months before Bush converts the present 2-1 Dem majority into a 3-2 Bush majority once the confirmation process is finished.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Take a typical case-- out in California a recycling facility, having happily employed undocumented workers for years, suddenly called in the INS against 11 employees a few days after the workers voted to unionize, then filed a motion to overturn the election based on the idea that "invalid" workers had voted in the election.  Since this was a radical departure from general company practice, the two Democrats supported the union in declaring that the firings constituted unfair labor practices by the company.   The Republican chairman of the board, Peter Hurtgen, just noted that the poor company just "happened" to have the undocumented status of workers brought to their attention at that point, so they did nothing wrong.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If this decision had gone the other way (which it may unfortunately in a few months), it would/will open up witchhunt season against immigrant workers after every successful union election, as employers seek to deport a sufficient number of workers to call an election into question.  Which means that undocumented immigrant workers and their friends would/will fear voting in the union in any case for fear of that retalition.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>-- Nathan</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>