Essay: New York economy cannot recover without a workforce

The very foundation of this country was built by immigrants, but too little attention is paid to the many contributions they have made, and continue to make, to our society and economy, especially in the wake of COVID-19.

Immigrants are an integral part of our local history and cultural identity. They also are a key component of our labor force and will be essential to our recovery from the financial hole created by the ongoing pandemic.

Since the days of John Jacob Bausch and Henry Lomb, immigrants have been central to Rochester’s economic development. Some have started their own businesses. Others played critical roles at the iconic businesses for which our city was long known, including Bausch & Lomb, Kodak, and many others, during the manufacturing sector’s “growth years.”

For many immigrants who came to this country in search of economic opportunity, unions offer a path to achievement towards the American dream and entrance into the middle class. Foreign-born workers actually have a slightly higher unionization rate of 21 percent than their U.S. born counterparts.

A common misconception is that immigrants take American jobs – a falsehood that started long ago and is perpetuated by the current administration. We must challenge and change that narrative. The truth is, prior to the economic downturn, many states were experiencing a labor shortage in key sectors.

Employers have found it increasingly difficult to fill low-to-medium-skill jobs. To chart a course back to economic recovery and growth we must have a workforce. That will not happen unless we support and encourage immigrants — those already here as well as those who will seek a better life within our borders.

Immigration has helped New York maintain a vibrant economy and a measure of political influence despite a steady population decline that has hit the upstate region particularly hard. Between 1950 and 2000, Rochester lost roughly 30 percent of its population, sparking fears of an endless cycle of decline. This downward trend was slowed by refugees and immigrants who moved into the long-abandoned houses and began leasing empty storefronts.

In the Rochester metropolitan area alone, between 2009-2017, the native population grew 4 percent, while the number of foreign-born residents increased by 14 percent.

In light of ongoing efforts at the federal level to deny immigrants entry to the U.S. and harm those already here, some upstate cities are attempting to lure refugees already settled elsewhere in the nation. In short, New York is competing against other states that have experienced similar declines. Pitting one state against another is no way to achieve economic rebirth and no way to treat our immigrant neighbors.

Now more than ever, we must embrace and support our immigrant workforce whose members have proven invaluable in the past and will do so again as we begin to rebuild the economy. As we focus on the recovery effort, unions stand ready to assist in this worthy and necessary endeavor, welcoming our immigrant brothers and sisters into the labor family.  

Dan Maloney is the President of Rochester and Vicinity Labor Council, AFL-CIO.