Dekada planning rally to back wage hike bill

A group of long-staying nonresident workers in the CNMI plans to hold a rally on Saipan next year when the U.S. Congress convenes, in support of a Democratic Party bill implementing a gradual minimum wage hike and federal immigration in the CNMI.

“We are scheduling our members and non-members’ meeting within two weeks to plan a mass rally when the U.S. Congress convenes on January 5, 2007, [in support] of H.R. 5550,” said Dekada in a statement issued yesterday.

Dekada president Boni Sagana said yesterday the rally would be held near the Horiguchi Building on Beach Road, Garapan. The building houses several federal government agencies.

H.R. 5550 refers to a bill introduced earlier this year by Democrat congressman George Miller, which aims to gradually implement the federal minimum wage in the CNMI.

The bill, which was co-authored by incoming U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also seeks the implementation of federal immigration control over the Commonwealth.

CNMI government and business leaders believe that this bill would be re-introduced when the Democratic-controlled Congress convenes next month.

Miller, a longtime critic of the CNMI labor and immigration policies, had repeatedly pushed for such a measure in the past.

Dekada’s latest plan came following a move in the local House of Representative to pass a bill, House Bill 15-167, requiring nonresident workers in the CNMI to exit before re-employment.

Dekada said it has been engaging the CNMI government for “a local solution” to the issue of improved status for long-term guest workers, to no avail.

Sagana said that minimum federalization would not be a threat if long-staying nonresidents had political rights or a “voice in the laws that govern them and the rest of the CNMI.”

“Dekada’s proposal [improved immigration status or permanent residency in the CNMI] not only would have addressed this important human rights issue but would have been economically beneficial for the CNMI government as well,” it said.

“Unfortunately, the CNMI political leadership has failed to respond. There’s not even a bill introduced in the Legislature yet. Instead, they re-introduced H.B. 15-167 that requires alien workers to exit CNMI periodically prior to re-employment.

“Accordingly, Dekada’s leadership believes it is now time for Dekada to turn its attention to Washington D.C. again,” said the group.

In late 2005, the group sent its legal consultant, Steven Woodruff, to Washington D.C. to seek help from the national government regarding the former’s plight in the CNMI.

Dekada said it intends to communicate with Democratic leaders in Congress “to re-acquaint them with the goals and aspirations of Dekada members.”

“Dekada will ask the Democrats to address [our] concerns early in the new Congress,” said the group.

Dekada consists of nonresident workers who have lived and worked in the CNMI for five years or more. It cited a membership of some 3,000 people.