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Democrats Press for Immigration Vote « AFL-CIO Press Release
February 27, 2014
Yanira Merino Named AFL-CIO Immigration Campaign Manager
Merino’s experience as a labor leader and an immigrant will help federation continue to mobilize workers around immigration reform with citizenship in 2014
(Washington D.C., February 26, 2014) —
The AFL-CIO is stepping up its efforts in the fight for immigration
reform, that includes a roadmap to citizenship, by naming Yanira Merino
to fill the position of national immigration campaign manager. Merino
will coordinate the efforts of the federation in reforming our
country’s broken immigration system and stopping the deportation
crisis. Effective immediately, she will assume the duties and
responsibilities vacated by the previous campaign manager, Tom Snyder,
who led the federation’s efforts in 2013 and has returned to his
position as chief of staff for UNITE HERE.
“We are proud that an immigrant woman will be leading the labor movement’s campaign for immigration reform that includes a roadmap to citizenship and an end to the ongoing deportation crisis,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “Yanira has been a powerful worker advocate and has fought for immigrant families for over two decades. She has been a trailblazer at LIUNA. LIUNA is a leader in the fight to protect immigrant workers who are too frequently exploited by employers that benefit from our dysfunctional immigration policies.”
Merino is a native of El Salvador who immigrated to the U.S. in 1991. She led the effort to organize the shrimp processing plant where she first worked, improving the harsh and exploitive conditions faced by the company’s mostly immigrant workforce. She has since led other important campaigns and is recognized as a voice for workers’ rights in the Latino community.
“I am excited to work for the AFL-CIO and to continue the fight for justice for immigrant workers and their families. The AFL-CIO has been at the forefront of the political debate and will continue to devote its resources to mobilizing working families and championing the rights of aspiring Americans throughout 2014 and beyond,” said Merino.
During 2013, the AFL-CIO conducted one of the most active and aggressive campaigns to pressure elected officials by mobilizing thousands of working families across the United States through phone banks, online tools, paid and earned media, and grassroots activities.
Contact: Gonzalo Salvador
“We are proud that an immigrant woman will be leading the labor movement’s campaign for immigration reform that includes a roadmap to citizenship and an end to the ongoing deportation crisis,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “Yanira has been a powerful worker advocate and has fought for immigrant families for over two decades. She has been a trailblazer at LIUNA. LIUNA is a leader in the fight to protect immigrant workers who are too frequently exploited by employers that benefit from our dysfunctional immigration policies.”
Merino is a native of El Salvador who immigrated to the U.S. in 1991. She led the effort to organize the shrimp processing plant where she first worked, improving the harsh and exploitive conditions faced by the company’s mostly immigrant workforce. She has since led other important campaigns and is recognized as a voice for workers’ rights in the Latino community.
“I am excited to work for the AFL-CIO and to continue the fight for justice for immigrant workers and their families. The AFL-CIO has been at the forefront of the political debate and will continue to devote its resources to mobilizing working families and championing the rights of aspiring Americans throughout 2014 and beyond,” said Merino.
During 2013, the AFL-CIO conducted one of the most active and aggressive campaigns to pressure elected officials by mobilizing thousands of working families across the United States through phone banks, online tools, paid and earned media, and grassroots activities.
Contact: Gonzalo Salvador
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