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U.S. NEWS Friday 20 January 2023

U.S. citizens get chance to play role in resettling refugees

By REBECCA SANTANA 2023.
Associated Press Later, private sponsors
WASHINGTON (AP) — A could identify refugees
government program abroad they would like to
launched Thursday is giv- help and then refer those
ing American citizens the people to the Refugee As-
chance to play a role in sistance Program and assist
resettling the thousands of them once they arrive in
refugees who arrive every the U.S.
year in the United States. The program is different
During the first year of the from a recent initiative that
Welcome Corps, the State allows 30,000 people into
Department aims to line up the country a month from
10,000 Americans who can Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti
help 5,000 refugees adjust and Venezuela. They also
to life in the United States. need a sponsor but are be-
“By tapping into the good- ing admitted to the U.S. un-
will of American communi- der a humanitarian parole
ties, the Welcome Corps designation that lasts two
will expand our country’s years and offers no path to
capacity to provide a becoming permanent resi-
warm welcome to higher dents or citizens.
numbers of refugees,” the Under the refugee pro-
department said in an- The State Department seal is seen on the briefing room lectern at the State Department in gram, people fleeing vio-
nouncing the effort. Washington, Jan. 31, 2022. lence or persecution can
When refugees from Associated Press come to the U.S. and stay
around the world arrive in as well. They would apply kids enrolled in school. to life in America. The con- permanently. Since the
the U.S., they face a dra- to privately sponsor refu- A consortium of nonprofits sortium will be responsible Refugee Act was passed
matically different way of gees to resettle in the U.S. with expertise in refugee re- for monitoring the program. in 1980 the U.S. has admit-
life. To ease that transition, and would be responsible settlement will help oversee The program will roll out in ted a little over 3 million
the department tradition- for raising their own money the vetting and certifica- two phases. First, private refugees. The Welcome
ally has worked with non- to help the refugees over tion of people and groups sponsors will be matched Corps program comes
profit groups that specialize the first 90 days. Assistance who want to be private with refugees already ap- on the heels of a similar,
in refugee issues. Under the would include everything sponsors. They also will offer proved for resettlement smaller scale endeavor un-
new program, five or more from greeting refugees at training so private sponsors under the U.S. Refugee As- der which Americans were
Americans could form a the airport to finding them understand what’s needed sistance Program. That will able to sponsor Afghans or
group and help fill this role, place to live and getting to help refugees adjusting start during the first half of Ukrainians. q

U.S. union membership rate hits all-time low despite campaigns

By DEE-ANN DURBIN that comparable data is ing. In a survey published in
AP Business Writer available, the union mem- August, Gallup found that
The U.S. union membership bership rate was 20.1%, the 71% of Americans said they
rate reached an all-time government said. approve of labor unions,
low last year despite high- Public-sector workers, like the highest percentage re-
profile unionization cam- police and teachers, had corded since 1965.
paigns at Starbucks, Ama- the highest unionization As the pandemic has
zon and other companies. rates last year, at 33%. Just eased, there has been a
Union members fell to 6% of private-sector work- surge in demand for union-
10.1% of the overall U.S. ers were unionized. ization. Labor shortages
workforce, according to Automation, outsourc- gave workers a rare upper
the Bureau of Labor Statis- ing and lower unionization hand, which they used to
tics. That was down slightly rates in traditional union seek higher pay and ben-
from 10.3% in 2021. strongholds, like auto man- efits from their employers.
The number of workers be- ufacturing, are one reason The National Labor Rela- Amazon JFK8 distribution center union organizer Jason Anthony
longing to a union actu- for the steady decline. But tions Board reported a 53% speaks to media, April 1, 2022, in the Brooklyn borough of New
ally increased by 1.9% to states have also chipped increase in union represen- York.
14.3 million. But that failed away at unions’ power. tation petitions in its 2022 Associated Press
to keep pace with higher Twenty-seven states now fiscal year, which ended tion rates are declining in “Those actions and atti-
overall employment rates. have “right-to-work” laws, Sept. 30. A total of 2,510 some sectors, like telecom- tudes could portend a re-
The number of wage- and which prohibit a company petitions were filed with the munications and clothing versal of this long-term de-
salary-earning workers rose and a union from signing agency, the highest num- manufacturing, they’re ris- cline,” Cornfield said.
by 3.9%, the government a contract that requires ber since 2016. ing in others, including hos- Workers at more than 270
said. workers to pay dues to the Dan Cornfield, a sociology pitality, the arts and enter- U.S. Starbucks stores have
U.S. union membership has union that represents them. professor at Vanderbilt Uni- tainment. Younger workers voted to unionize over the
been falling steadily for de- Despite those laws, support versity who studies unions, are largely driving those ef- last year, an effort that Star-
cades. In 1983, the first year for unions has been grow- noted that while unioniza- forts, he said. bucks opposes. q