IFPTE Commends Sen. Durbin and Sen. Grassley for Introducing the Bipartisan H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act

Comprehensive Overhaul Legislation Will Close Loopholes,
Protect Workers, and Uphold Labor Standards in High-Skill Work Visa Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The executive officers of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), a labor union representing upwards of 90,000 professionals in high skilled occupations, applauded the introduction of the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act, sponsored by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA), and cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

IFPTE President Matthew Biggs:

“Senator Grassley and Senator Durbin have introduced the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act at an opportune time, as lawmakers are focusing on revitalizing our economy and providing quality jobs and education opportunities for all Americans. Any national agenda that seeks to empower American workers and remove barriers to good-paying jobs in STEM occupations must include reforming the H-1B program so that it does not continue to harm American workers nor take advantage of H-1B workers. 

Our union looks forward to building support for this important legislation and proposing real solutions to actual verifiable skills shortages, solutions that provide economic opportunity, and uphold wage and labor standards for all working people. We will also continue to seek appropriate administrative solutions to improve the H-1B program and other high-skill work visa programs.”   

IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson:  

“IFPTE applauds Senator Durbin and Senator Grassley for leading the effort to reform the H-1B program. For too long, the H-B visa program has hurt workers by lowering wages and labor standards, outsourcing jobs, and discouraging Americans from pursuing STEM careers. This work visa program was meant to solve a purported shortage of high skilled workers in specialty occupations, but over the nearly 30 years of its existence, it’s design flaws and misuse by some employers has shifted bargaining power away from workers.

IFPTE members working at the Tennessee Valley Authority know first-hand how IT firms use H-1B visas as part of an offshore-sourcing model. While our union defeated the effort to have IFPTE members train their replacements before their jobs were outsourced to firms relying on H-1B visa program, we know too well that firms have misused the H-1B program to build an offshore-outsourcing business model that not only displaces workers in America, but eventually transfers work and knowledge to other countries. Reforming the H-1B visa program must be a part of any conversation on strengthening the American economy.”  

Across the United States and Canada, IFPTE represents 90,000 highly skilled workers in the federal, public, and private sectors. IFPTE is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO and the CLC. More information can be found at www.IFPTE.org.

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Download a PDF of this statement here.

Read the statement from Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, “DPE Commends the Re-Introduction of the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act.”