Submitted 110807
Greetings, Madam Chairman,
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you and yourcommittee on HB 15-38. Overall, it is one of the best Labor reform legislation everintroduced in years. There are however very minor suggestions that I would like to offer for the Committee's review. But before I begin, Madam Chairwoman, I would like to sharemy thoughts on the issue of foreign labor related to HB 15-38. We have witnessed over and over again how foreign workers used the system to their advantage. It is a common fact that somany foreign workers file frivolous complaints at Labor Departmentjust so that they can stay in the CNMI longer or be transferred toanother employer. There were so many abuses not only from employees,employers but also from government employees mandated to protectand enforce the labor laws. We have also witnessed our health system overburden with foreign workers who need medical attentions but do not have themeans to pay for the services or their employers were unable tohelp them. We have also seen our educational system overloaded becauseforeign workers were allowed to bring in their dependents eventhough they have no means of supporting these dependents. We haveso many illegals now because a lot have been allowed to fall inbetween the cracks of our labor and immigration system and we lacked enforcement capability. We see time and time again how some of these workers end upowning their own business while still under a worker's permit. Wecontinue to talk about human resource development plan and training of resident workers but very little effort has been putinto place so that we can finally mean what we say. There are others who would also argue that requiring foreignworkers to exit the CNMI will post as major economic burden on the employers, all I can say is this, we all have to make certainsacrifices and as a business person, such an expense is part ofdoing business, we must not forget that engaging in business isnot a constitutional right but a privilege. A business person just has to do more earnest planning and managing. This bill will help us strengthen our labor law to theadvantage and protection of the resident workers. Some otherpositive changes in this legislation include: (1) This legislation appears to tighten loopholes that haveexisted for so many years which have benefitted both foreignworkers and as well as employers; (2) It places more responsibility and accountability on the employerS as well as on the workers; (3) It places priorities on the hiring of resident workersover foreign workers and forces employers to come to terms withtheir own hiring practices and to take on the bulk of the responsibility of doing business in the CNMI; (4) It forces everyone, public and private to worktogether to provide a true human resource development plan andtraining of resident workers so that our reliance for outside labor will be progressively minimized; (5) It puts the burden on health on the employer and/or theforeign worker and not the taxpayers or the Government of theCNMI; (6) It provides more rights to workers while forcing both employers and employees to work together to accomplish theircommon goal. Madam Chairwoman, I humbly offer few suggestions for you andyour committee's consideration. They are as follows: 1) The job classification should be expanded to include theHospitality and Tourism industry -- for example -- front desk,Human resources, cooks, middle management positions and internshipprograms; 2) All foreign workers must exit the CNMI after 3 years ofcontinuous employment in the CNMI and re-enter, as proscribed inthis legislation. This will reinforce § 4436. Restrictions andObligations provision of this legislation whereby it states that " No employment contract, registration, certification or permit,or the presence of an alien within the Commonwealth pursuantthereto shall be grounds for naturalization or citizenship, orpermanent residency except as may be otherwise provided by law". The most serious issue facing us right now is the possibility ofthe U.S. granting non immigrant status to illegal and legalforeign workers who have over-stayed in the CNMI. We need to bepro-active not reactive. (3) No foreign worker should be permitted or licensed toengage in any business regardless when the foreign worker came tothe CNMI. Instead the Department of Commerce and EconomicDevelopment should be charged in helping residents get into business. (4) high risk employers should be black listed and notallowed to hire any more foreign workers; (5) Foreign workers who have filed numerous frivolouscomplaints should also be barred from re-entering the CNMI; (5) The Northern Marianas College (NMC) have been known inthe past to have bottom-less pit when it comes to money especiallylabor fee generated. NMC has been known to abuse and misuse thesefunds for travel and other expenses and salaries of instructors and rampant granting of scholarships for all degreed areas. I amnot suggesting that the present NMC administration will cause thesame abuse. I am only suggesting that accountability measuresshould be securely in placed. There has to be more stringent measures to ensure that the funds are actually directed asproscribed in this legislation. Madam Chairman, the last comment I would like to make iswhether this legislation if enacted into law will continue to govern the CNMI regardless of the federal takeover. Thank you for the opportunity to provide my comments to youand your committee.
Gregorio S. Cruz, Jr.-- President -Taotao Tano CNMI Association, Inc./ Social Advocacy Org.
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TAOTAO TANO HAD SPOKEN
- A direct impediment to the human right to self-determination
- 12808 st - Taotao Tano rebuts Pete A. in interview with KSPN 2 News
- TAOTAO TANO CNMI sents letters to the community
- 011608 st - SEND THEM HOME
- 011608 mv - Guest worker faces deportation
- 011608 mv - TAOTAO TANO SLAMS FEDERAL LABOR OMBUDSMAN
- 121407 mv - Trampled by foreigners
- 121407 mv - The despair of the indigenous people
- 121407 st - Familiarity breeds contempt
- 121407 st - 'Be selective on who to bring in'
- 121407 st - This land belongs to the indigenous
- 121407 st - To the people of Precinct 1
- 121407 mv - Think again
UPDATES by links
- 020808 mv - Fitial ready to testify in DC vs federalization, wage hike
- 020108 mv - US Senate panel OKs federalization bill
- HOUSE APPROVED 3079
- 121407 mv -Fitial says feds applying ‘socialism’ to NMI
- 120707 mv - Bingaman answers Fitial
- 120307 mv - US House may vote on NMI federalization
- 110607 mv - Cohen: Fitial administration ‘misinterpreted’ nonimmigrant provision
- 110207 mv -Guest workers brace for final version of federalization bill
- 110207 mv -Gov’t to recalculate numbers of migrants before year ends
Thursday, November 8, 2007
TAOTAO TANO SUGGESTIONS ON HB15-38:
at 5:53:00 AM Posted by TAOTAO TANO CNMI
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OUR FALLEN HEROES
SAME THING WILL HAPPEN HERE - JUST CHANGE THE NUMBERS
JUST CHANGE THE NUMBERS TO CNMI NUMBERS AND
THE COHEN PLAN WILL HARM THE CNMI IN THE SAME WAY
CURRENT IMMIGRATION POLICIES WILL DAMAGE THE USA.
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