It looks like there's no stopping the controversial CNMI Reform Law 15-108 this January 2008. I heard from people aka nonresident workers that trooped the Labor Office this week the officers from the department have been stressing to them the effective date of the law starting Tuesday next week.
I thought I read from somewhere that the implementation would be delayed due to a review by the Legislature. Well, I read wrong in that case. I need to increase the grade in this contact lenses.
I guess the nonresident workers would have to brace themselves for this change....
The Reveler
28 comments:
I hope they rethink 15-108 real fast.. without the ability for a non-resident employee to transfer, Labor is destined to have an onslaught of frivolous labor cases.. starting Tuesday...
The Federal takeover of labor and immigration will put a stop to this madness very shortly.
The new law will definitely take effect next week, but there are two things that may delay application of some of its provisions. First, the regulations have not yet been completed, and there may be some considerable give-and-take over how to implement the new law through them; second, several legislators have indicated they intend to revisit some provisions of the new law as soon as the 16th Legislature is sworn in.
As far as frivolous labor complaints are concerned, that may not be a fruitful strategy for workers. Those who file complaints without merit will probably be barred from ever returning to the CNMI, once their complaint has been determined to be frivolous. That having been said, there are many workers who have legitimate complaints that they have been reluctant to complain about. Many of them may now come forward because the only way for them to transfer at the end of their contract is to get an administrative hearing officer to agree that a violation has occurred that justifies transfer relief as a remedy.
To the supporters of 15-108: THE US FEDERAL GOV'T WILL SOON SUPERSEDE ALL LOCAL AND IMMIGRATION LAWS. Can you imagine waiters and hotel workers who have to attend the 10th anniversary of their 5th cousin's death for a week? Think about it! Or some arrogant 1st cousin to some worthless politician demanding all Mondays off? It already happens now!
having said about its implementation, did the local government cover their eyes and ears during the unity march?
There were certainly no locals out protesting the much advertised Unity March, if there were, I didn't see any. The locals who oppose the Unity March are very much worried that they will lose their beloved cheap labor force. In other words, they might actually have to work. A very alien concept to most of the indigenous population, excuse the pun.
You've unfortunately been surrounded by the wrong group of locals.
Agreed, Boni. I saw plenty of local people participating in the march, and also supporting from the sidelines. And all of them were hard-working folks, anon.
James,
unfortunately, I think when faced with the choice of no renewal, go home or file a false complaint and have the hope for a transfer, and if not then go home. I think a non-resident worker, especially those with children here, will take the chance of filing a frivolous complaint. I put myself in their shoes, and I probably would. It's putting people in the position of choosing between the possibility of staying here to work and support their children and families or go home without your kids in most cases. You go home, wait 6 months and hope and pray you find an employer who will bring you back. Not going to happen! File the frivolous complaint and take a chance that your transfer will be granted.
thats how i see it.
I don't think I'd be willing to taint someone else's reputation, especially if I knew they had no choice but to release employees they couldn't pay. There should be some other avenue for families, this is a very difficult situation, one that is not easily solved. I see where it would buy some time, but unless your employer was a real boob or willing to help you transfer, it's not an honest thing to do. Jobs will become competitive, I think that's a good thing.
you don't realize what you might be capable of doing when it comes to your children. If you had to choose between leaving your child with DYS or if your lucky a family friend for six months or probably even longer, what lengths would you go to keep that from happening? Could you leave behind your new born baby because your contract was not renewed and you have spent what little savings you had on diapers and milk and have no money to buy a ticket home for your baby? Would you leave behind your three children in school because after 10 years, your employer will not be able to renew you as their housekeeper with the minimum wage to increase again in a few more months, and you just can't find the funds to buy three tickets for them to go home with you? Nor can you find it in your heart to uproot them from the only life they have ever known?
Putting people in this situation it downright sad! Your right Boni, there is no easy solution.
"My hands are small I know, but they're not yours they are my own, but they're not yours they are my own, and I am never broken...in the end only kindness matters..." - Jewel
;-)
I've had someone I trusted and got to know, I thought, do that to me once so I know how it feels on the other end. I would do anything for my children. Period. Lord willing, I will choose to give them an example of human resiliency. Lord willing, I will have the strength to do just that, I pray others who are in this situation now find support and strength to survive.
One of the greatest gifts a parent can give to a child is a life lived with integrity -- being a role model and good example. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
This excludes corruption, and bearing false witness in the form of a frivolous complaint. Fortunately, under the new Regs, no such lies will be needed, if the Division of Employment Services certifies that no U.S. citizen is interested in the job. A Hearing Officer can approve the transfer, even in the absence of a complaint.
As for those who, because of the bad economy, do have to go back to their home countries, the CNMI government has every incentive to provide tickets to the U.S. citizen dependents of Foreign National Workers who are departing, rather than have PSS and DYS pay to look after those children.
Also, and it bears repeating, the economies of the Asian countries supplying guest workers to the CNMI are doing much, much better than the CNMI's, so there are better opportunities there. South Korea, China, and the Philippines all recognize citizenship by descent, so those children are also citizens of their parents' home countries -- self-rationalizing claims by non-lawyer former "stateless aliens" notwithstanding.
Finally, and never forget this, once those children turn 21, they can petition the parents for Lawful Permanent Residence, to live anywhere in the United States. So going to the ancestral homeland for a few years is not the terrible tragedy some folks consider it to be.
As nice as the CNMI is to live, it is not the only source of life, culture, and economic opportunity on this planet, though that may be hard to understand to those who have spent decades here or are simply in love with the place. Gatbo na Islas Marianas, hu tuna hao!
As for those who, because of the bad economy, do have to go back to their home countries, the CNMI government has every incentive to provide tickets to the U.S. citizen dependents of Foreign National Workers who are departing, rather than have PSS and DYS pay to look after those children.
And the money to fund these tickets is going to come from???
"Anonymous said...
...In other words, they might actually have to work. A very alien concept to most of the indigenous population..."
You sir/madam are an idiot.
"concernedparent said...
...So going to the ancestral homeland for a few years is not the terrible tragedy some folks consider it to be."
You sir/madam are an idiot too.
uhmm...just to clarify for the Philippines, having the Overseas Filipino Workers is one indicator of the country's economic stability if not growth. The alien workforce from the Philippines working in over 100 host countries have been contributing to a portion of the money for the country. This year, the OFWs have contributed at least 14 billion dollars to the country of 90 million people.
I dont see the logic why some people would say these countries are better off than CNMI...
enlighten me...
I saw somewhere that the PI gets 85% of its gross revenue from overseas workers.
...and believe it or not, the CNMI government has a ton of money. They are just really bad at spending it. You drop 30K/month on lobbyists, go on a few dozen junkets, and god knows what else and you're blowing through millions of dollars.
We're like the poker addict who is always broke and can't figure out why.
thesaipanblogger
"We're like the poker addict who is always broke and can't figure out why."
You just summed up the problem with the CNMI and it's indigenous people. Poker addiction. Look inside the Korean and Chinese pawn shops (next to Poker) you'll see wedding rings, baby clothes, etc. Pathetic. The apologists will say that these problem exist all over the world, well so does murder and anarchy. I would have to say that 60% of indigenous people are addicted to Poker. A couple of years ago, Gloria Cabrera was caught playing poker on her Gov't lunch break and smoking a cigarette. Pathetic. She was in charge of addiction and counseling. Poker is getting worse. Poker arcades are opening in record numbers. Oh, the zoning act. This is probably the MOST corrupt piece of work to come out in a long, long time. Drafted by lawmakers who own poker arcades and pawnshops, there are more loopholes in the zoning act than the Chinese Navy. For example, zoning law will take place at so and so date. Ok. Simply apply for Poker licenses for 20 years BEFORE the law takes place....Pathetic local Gov't.
60% seems kind of high to me.
If you were to say alcoholism, betel nut addictions, and marijuana use, I'd probably agree.
I don't know enough about the poker arcades because I've never used a poker machine. I prefer playing crappes. Not that I'm addicted. I've played once in the last three years.
Are locals the only ones using them? Contract workers don't use poker machines?
It would be simple enough to get rid of them. A signature campaign is not hard to do if you know what you are doing. Look at the Saipan Casino people. They got their asses handed to them in the election, but they were still able to get enough signatures.
I can't make a casino law signature campaign my life, but I would help out if someone else were to take the lead.
definitely, the contract workers have also been addicted to them. Several cases include repatriation of these workers to their home countries due to addiction to poker. i know people that earn a lot here that spend at least 3,000 usd a night on poker establishments. that contract worker is big time here so he doesnt mind losing big doughs....
Yeah, yeah. Chinese and Filipinos use poker machines as well, what's your point? Aren't we talking about the indigenous people here? Whenever someone criticizes the indigenous people, other races HAVE to be brought up in defense. Here is a good one:
It goes something like this: You had your slaves, we can have ours too!
Guess who said that magical nutcracker. You guessed it, our very own Pete A. Tenorio aka Wash Rep! What a scumbag. This was back when he was (like almost all the Gov't) a total anal whore for the garment industry. So the contract workers are also addicted? And your point is...what? Do you remember when someone asked ALL of the CNMI lawmakers to take an meth (ICE, shabu shabu) test? Well duh!? I think they all declined! LOL! Thats ok though saipanblogger, Filipinos do ice too....
I was asking a serious question. Who uses the poker machines?
If it were 100% tourists, I'd say the poker machines are the greatest thing ever. If it is 100% residents, I'd say it is just a case of the poor giving their money away to the rich.
I didn't even mention race.
I was talking about locals vs. non-locals.
...and I thought shabu shabu was a kind of Japanese meal?
How do they test for thinly sliced pieces of beef cooked in a vegetable broth?
http://www.erowid.org/ask/ask.php?ID=130
Here is a serious answer to your serious question: Indigenous people overwhelmingly use the poker arcades the most. Hands down. By the way 'Shabu-Shabu' and Poker are close cousins. It's true that other people around the world play poker saipnblogger, they also smoke meth too. Poker Arcades have found ways to accept food stamps now! Now that's priceless!
Lawmakers have found ways to rob their own people. Some indigenous people claim that foreigners have stolen their land, BS. Joe Tenorio (JoeTen, the Tenorio familia) stole more land from their own people than anybody, combined. What does this have to do with Poker, anyway? The same lawmakers (thieves) own and operate the Poker Arcades along with their 'owners'. The indigenous people borrow $$$ from CDA to finance gambling debts, debter defaults, CDA through pond scum lawyer sue for deed, then it all starts over. Welcome to the CNMI.
What a way to end 2007 with serious comments like these...
Hmmmm, what was the topic again? After reading all the comments, I forgot. Is it about poker?
Let's stop debating about poker. It's a moot point. The CNMI government will get rid of poker as soon as the world gets rid of racists.
I've always been against poker, but there's just too much at stake here my friends.
Shabu, testing for thinly slices of beef! Bwahaha! Saipan blogger, that's hilarious! Man, when your sarcasm isn't hurtful, it can be downright hilarious! Good one...
British isn't my primary language, but I can fully understand this while using google translator. Wonderful post, you can keep them coming! Many thanks!
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