WASHINGTON — Big business and labor have resolved a dispute over a low-skills-worker program that threatened to hold up agreement on a sweeping immigration bill, according to an anonymous source familiar with the negotiations.
The deal was struck in a phone call late Friday night with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, US Chamber of Commerce head Tom Donohue and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, who’s mediating.
The source said the deal resolves disagreements over wages for the new workers and which industries would be included.
The deal must still be signed off on by the seven other senators working with Schumer to negotiate a bipartisan immigration bill — but that’s expected to happen.