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Fitial highlights labor reforms in measure
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Posted on Mar 17 2005
House Speaker Benigno R. Fitial yesterday extolled the virtues of the House Bill 14-142, a labor reform bill that recently passed the CNMI House of Representatives with unanimous political support from all members.
“I am proud of the bipartisan support and cooperation we received on this important piece of legislation,” said Fitial, noting that the bill passed with all 17 members voting in favor of it.
The only House member who didn’t vote for the bill was the bill’s author himself, Rep. Ray N. Yumul, an Army Reserve member currently deployed in Iraq, whose absence was excused.
“This is yet another example of how the majority and minority blocs can still work together in a bipartisan spirit of close cooperation despite some sharp disagreements over some other policy issues such as the part-time legislature proposal,” said Charles Reyes Jr., the spokesman for the House leadership.
Reyes noted that Rep. Joseph P. Deleon Guerrero, a Republican member of the minority bloc, was instrumental in specifically suggesting employment categories that would be strictly reserved for local employment only. These positions include gas station attendant, jet ski concession attendant, retail and warehouse stocker, and other relatively non-skilled, entry level positions that local, resident employees could and should fill as a matter of public law, Fitial said.
According to him, one of the bill’s primary objectives is to promote and protect local employment amid the ongoing garment industry layoffs. Fitial believes this would be accomplished by eliminating or reducing temporary work authorizations and consensual transfers, one of the explicit provisions of the labor reform bill.
“I don’t want potential local employees to be adversely affected by displaced garment workers looking for jobs as a result of the factory shutdowns,” said Fitial.
He emphasized that the intent of H.B. 14-142 is consistent with the fundamental purpose behind the CNMI’s local control of immigration and labor policies: for nonresident workers to supplement, not replace, the local workforce.
“They should be adding to—rather than infringing on—the local labor market,” said the Speaker. (PR)
