Living Cities is beginning to learn learn about what it takes to better prepare low-income people for quality jobs. On September 17, we took our learning one step further by hosting a webinar with other organization also exploring approaches to help immigrant job-seekers access opportunity and integrate into the US economy. Presentations by the National Skills Coalition, CASA de Maryland, the Workers Defense Project, and Casa Latina in Seattle.

1. Integrating Immigrant Workers
into the US Economy:
Lessons from Leaders in the Field
September 16, 2014

2. Presenters
1. Flavia Jimenez
Senior Fellow, National Skills Coalition
2. Gustavo Torres
Executive Director, CASA de Maryland
3. Cristina Tzintzun
Executive Director, Workers Defense Project
4. Hilary Stern
Executive Director, Casa Latina
2

3. Join the conversation on Twitter using hashtag
#Welcome2Jobs
National Skills Coalition
@SkillsCoalition
@flaviajim
Living Cities
@Living_Cities
CASA de Maryland
@CASAdeMaryland
Workers Defense Project
@workersdefense
@TzintzunCris
Casa Latina
@CasaSeattle
3

4. Integrating Immigrant
Workers into the U.S.
Economy: Living Cities
September 17, 2014

5. Our Vision
We seek an America that grows its economy
by investing in its people, so that every
worker and every industry
has the skills to compete and prosper.
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

6. Our Mission
• We organize broad-based coalitions seeking
to raise the skills of America’s workers across
a range of industries.
• We advocate for public policies that invest in
what works, as informed by our members’
real-world expertise.
• And we communicate these goals to an
American public seeking a vision for a strong
U.S. economy that allows everyone to be part
of its success.
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

7. Problem: Labor Market Demand
• There will be 55 million
job openings in the
economy through 2020
• 2/3 of all job openings in
next decade will require
education beyond a high
school degree
• U.S. will fall short by 5
million workers with
postsecondary education
– at the current
production rate – by 2020
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

8. The Skills Gap
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

9. Barriers: Foundational Skills
Adults with extremely low
basic skills
www.nationalskillscoalition.org
Adults served by AEFLA
36,000,000
1,800,000

10. Labor Force: Many English
learners already in our workforce
19.2 million adults are
considered limited
English proficient
(LEP), comprising 9.3%
of working-age
population.
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

11. Literacy proficiency
by immigration background
320
300
280
260
240
220
200
172
Native-born Foreign-born - < 5 years Foreign-born - 5 years and more
11

12. Disconnected Policy Conversations
• Lots of attention on both
skills issues &
immigration issues, but
almost completely
disconnected.
• Partly driven by how
issues are defined, partly
driven by how Congress
and federal agencies
function
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

13. One Solution: Immigrant Workforce
• Without immigrants, U.S.
workforce growth will be
insufficient to replace those
retiring between 2010-2030
• Between 2000 & 2050, new
immigrants & their children will
account for 83% of growth in U.S.
working-age population.
• OECD report found that
immigrants in the U.S. over 5
years have lower basic skills than
those recently arrived
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

14. Opportunities at the national and
local, state and national level
• National discussion on immigration
reform & integration should
include workforce development as
a major component of the strategy
• In cities with offices of immigrant
affairs and those attempting to
incorporate immigrants, there’s an
opportunity to connect with WIBs
and job centers as part of
welcoming strategy
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

15. Cities can shape policies & funding to connect
immigrant integration services with Adult Education,
ESL and workforce programs
• Immigrant affairs offices often connect
to economic development efforts
through small business development
but leave out occupational training
• Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) provides an
opportunity for cities to connect
outreach efforts to workforce
providers
 TEGL: education and outreach
opportunity
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

16. Importance of partnerships with
Community Based Organizations
• Successful model:
public/private partnerships
that develop a balanced
approach of education &
training with wrap around
services.
• Examples:
– Instituto del Progreso Latino
(CBO) with Chicago City
Colleges
– CASA de Maryland with Prince
Georges Community College
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

17. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (WIOA) and English learners
• Lifts statutory prohibition on
using Title II funds for
occupational training, &
includes workplace and
workforce preparation
education activities
• Integration of literacy and
English language instruction
with occupational skill training,
including promoting linkages
with employers
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

18. Local and State: WIOA
• Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs): can
allow CBOs serving those with high barriers
to employment
• Local and State plans must be aligned across
titles of the law (e.g., Occupational training
with Adult Basic Education and ESL) & must
include career pathways
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

19. Stay Connected
www.nationalskillscoalition.org
• Visit our website.
• Sign up for our
member email list.
• Follow us on:

20. Contact
Flavia Jimenez
Flaviaj@nationalskillscoalition.org
(202) 223-8991 ext 108
www.nationalskillscoalition.org

21. CASA: Successful
model of Services &
Policy Impact
Webinar exploring approaches to help
immigrant to access opportunity and
integrate into the US economy
Living Cities, September 2014 21

22. 22

23. CASA’s Overview
• Largest Latino & immigrant
organization in the DC
region – over 60,000
members
• Mission: to create a more
just society by building
power and improving the
quality of life in low-income
immigrant
communities.
• Programs include services
and organizing / advocacy.
CASA’s Funding Break-down
12%
22%
2% 0%
51%
4%
2%
7%
Corporations Foundations
Government Individuals
Organizations Unions/Congregations
Income Generating Reserve Fund Income
23

24. Policy Victories to create sustainable
jobs and sustainable communities !
• Passage of Minimum Wage in 2014 in local counties for $11.50 by
2017 (State level)
• Passage of In-State Tuition (MD DREAM Act) in 2011 (State level)
• Driver license legislation to ID and drive to jobs (more than 250k
benefit now) 24

25. Policy Victories to build power
• Passage of Senate immigration bill – June 2013.
• Passage of Domestic Workers’ Protection Bill in
Montgomery County, 2008.
• Creation of 7 Welcome Centers to serve low-income
immigrants
• Leadership Academy
25

26. Services/Programs:
Welcome Centers
• 7 Welcome Centers
• help with applications & resumes
• provide training to match skills
needed on the market
• Partner with local small business and
big companies
• 20,000 families come to Welcome
Centers
• Partnership with local public schools
and other institutions
• 3500 workers who participate in ESOL
classes and life skills trainings. 26

27. Developing strong Partnerships
• Great relationship with local & state governments
• OSHA funding for safety training
• In Montgomery, Prince George County, & Baltimore City
have contracts to train families in different skills needed
• Also partner with:
• Private Foundations
• Corporations
• Individual donors
• Other services providers
27

28. Innovative approach:
Prince George Community College
Partnership
• One of the largest community colleges in Maryland
• Large geographic area to serve
• Five main locations, with many additional ones
• Demographic make-up
• Partnership, not purely a business relationship
28

29. How to approach
CBO/College Partnership
• Start small
• Needs to be mutually beneficial
• Strong personal connections
• Use data to identify appropriate courses/industries
• Address whole needs of the students
• employability
• job placement
• Job retention
29

30. How We Work Together
• Prince George Community Colleges
• Provides quality instructors and training
• Can award certificates
• Prepare students for licensure exams
• Commitment to career pathways and innovative instruction
• CASA
• Markets and recruits students
• Provides location for training
• Work with other partners and funders to provide complimentary
training and wrap around services
30

31. Partnership Impact
FY 2012-2013
- 64 high-quality trainings and classes to over 988 workers
- 400 graduates through Workforce Development
- 180 obtained permanent positions (average wage of $12.89
per hour)
- 78% of Graduates moving out of the lowest defined state
poverty levels and reporting weekly salaries
- Overall increase in Latino and immigrant enrollments at
Community College
- Provide employers with skilled workers. WPR evaluation show
94% Employer satisfaction (Excellent)
- Retention- 400 returning employers. 31

32. Challenges to Address
• Limited Resources (funds and people)
• Short turn around times to work on ideas (especially grants)
• At the college level: many people involved across multiple
areas, need coordination
32

33. What is next on our Innovation for sustainable
jobs and sustainable communities?
Create Co-ops as non-traditional business with
“distribution of wealth based on solidarity, and
involvement in the community” 33

34. This is a model built
on Pragmatism, Self-
Reliance, Ownership,
and Democracy
34

35. Values & Principles
• CO-OPERATION
• Owners and
protagonists
• PARTICIPATION
• Commitment to
management
• SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
• Distribution of
wealth based on
solidarity, and
• involvement in the
community
• INNOVATION
• Constant renewal
35

36. Questions! Thanks
36

37. Contact Info
• Gustavo Torres
• Executive Director
of CASA de
Maryland
• Email:
gtorres@casamd.org
• Phone: 301-270-
0419
37

38. Empowering Our
Neighbors:
Undocumented
Immigrants and the
Texas Construction
Industry
38

39. Local Context: Texas Construction
 Employs nearly 1,000,000, half of whom are
undocumented immigrants, who:
 Earn $3.12 less per hour
 Experience 250% more wage theft
 200% more likely to be injured on a worksite than
citizens
 No Spanish-language training programs available
39

40. Past Achievements
 Over its twelve year history, WDP has:
 Passed two statewide laws protecting low-wage workers
in Texas
 Passed one of the most progressive economic
development policies in the country
 Improved working conditions on more than $500,000,000
worth of construction projects
 Won mandatory rest breaks for all construction workers in
Austin
40

41. Paths Out of Poverty
1. Public Policy
2. Private Partnerships
3.Workforce Development
41

42. Public Policy
 Published Build a Better Nation: A Case for
Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2013
 Identified the following needs:
 Higher wages
 Safety Training
 Career Pipeline Access
42

43. Public Policy
 Progressive Economic Development Policies:
 WDP will protect undocumented and US-born workers by
requiring that subsidized companies provide:
 Living or Prevailing Wages;
 OSHA-10 Safety Training;
 Workers’ Compensation Insurance
 In 2015, WDP will publish a study on the effects of
these programs with the University of Texas at Austin
and other partners
43

44. Public Policy
 Mandatory Rest Breaks in Dallas
 Undocumented workers receive 18% fewer rest breaks
 Leads to higher rates of heat exhaustion, dehydration and
death
 Workers’ Compensation Reform
 Less than a third of undocumented workers have workers’
comp
 Misclassification Reform and Enforcement
 Undocumented workers are 225% more likely to be
misclassified as independent contractors
44

45. Private Partnerships
 WDP has collaborated with organizations like
Foundation Communities and The Pflugerville
Community Development Corporation to adopt Better
Builder Policies that include
 Living or Prevailing Wages
 OSHA-10 Safety Training
 Workers’ Compensation
 Career Pipeline Access
 Policies are designed to level the playing field
between undocumented workers and US-born
workers
45

46. Private Partnerships
 Better Builder offers monitoring services to developers
in exchange for:
 Certification as a worker-friendly developer;
 Onsite expertise on construction regulations and OSHA
compliance; and
 Trained workers who can build higher-quality buildings.
 Better Builder will ensure that undocumented and
citizen workers both have access to high-paying, safe
jobs
46

47. Workforce Development
 Undocumented immigrants have little access to
Spanish-language training programs or formal union
apprenticeship programs
 WDP is designing the first Spanish-language
preapprenticeship program in Austin
 The Construction Careers Institute will provide over
50 hours of intensive training on soft and hard skills
during its pilot year, including:
 ESL
 OSHA Safety
 Computer Literacy
47

48. Current Organizational Needs
1. Strategic input from labor
and industry leaders
2. Financial resources
3. Partnerships with peer
organizations
48

49. Contact Information
 Cristina Tzintzún, Executive Director
 cristina@workersdefense.org
 @TzintzunCris
 @workersdefense
 For more information: www.workersdefense.org
49

50. Presented by Hilary Stern Sept 17, 2014
317 17th Ave South · Seattle, WA 98144
tel. 206.956.0779 · fax 206.956.0780
www.casa-latina.org

51.  CASA Latina is a non-profit organization founded in
1994 to empower Latino immigrants by providing
educational and economic opportunities.
Founding and Board Member Founding and Board Members
National Day Laborer
Organizing Network
National Domestic Workers
Alliance
Affiliated November 2009 Affiliated March 2014
Washington State Labor
Council
Martin Luther King County
Labor Council
51

52. Good Pay
Respect and a Voice
Safe
Opportunities for Advancement
52

53. Skills
 English
 Job Specific Training
Structural
 Immigration Status
 Not Enough Good
Jobs
53

54. Organizing
Education
Advocacy
54

55.  Job Creation
 Democratically Managed Hiring Hall
o Increase the floor
o Voice at Work
 Required Courses
o Safety
o Quality Control
55

56.  ESL
 Computer Literacy
 Industry Specific Knowledge
o Green Gardening
o Green Cleaning
o Moving
o Painting
o Construction Safety
56

57. $14.30
Average Salary
$14.92 $14.92
$15.35
$16.11
$16.50
$16.00
$15.50
$15.00
$14.50
$14.00
$13.50
$13.00
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
57

58. 4,239 4,413
Number of Jobs
7,327
8,545
8,972
10,000
9,000
8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
-
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
58

59. Construction
Apprenticeship
Problem: e-verify
Solution: legalization
Homecare Industry
Training
Problem: poverty wages
Solution: increase min
wage
public support for
families
59

60.  Small Scale Solutions through Organizing, Education
and Training
 Large Scale Solutions through Overcoming Structural
Barriers
o Provide Access to Quality Jobs
o Increase the Overall Number of Quality Jobs
60

61. Hilary Stern, Executive Director
206-956-0779
hilary@casa-latina.org
317 17th Ave South · Seattle, WA 98144
tel. 206.956.0779 · fax 206.956.0780
www.casa-latina.org

62. Q&A with Speakers
• Flavia Jimenez
Senior Fellow, National Skills Coalition
• Gustavo Torres
Executive Director, CASA de Maryland
• Cristina Tzintzun
Executive Director, Workers Defense Project
• Hilary Stern
Executive Director, Casa Latina
62