Eager to capitalize on a booming economy and tight job market, a coalition of labor, religious and immigrant advocacy groups is pushing for a new amnesty program that could legalize up to 6 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Illinois has more than 290,000 undocumented workers, according to government estimates.

Union participation in the movement, while adding considerable political muscle, marks a surprising turnaround for organized labor, which vehemently opposed the amnesty approved by Congress in 1986 out of fear immigrants would steal jobs and drive down wages.

But confronted by sagging membership rolls, union leaders have in recent years come to view immigrants, many of whom are in low-paying jobs, as a huge new reservoir of workers to bring under labor's umbrella.

"This is a workforce that is being exploited, a workforce that is being denied their rights," said Linda Chavez-Thompson, the AFL-CIO's vice president, who presided over a town hall meeting in Chicago this weekend that focused on the problems and abuses immigrant workers face.

The 1986 amnesty, the first and only such program approved by Congress, gave more than 3 million undocumented workers legal status. It also for the first time imposed sanctions on employers who knowingly hired undocumented workers, though immigrant advocates contend the government has done little to crack down on violators.

Supporters of the new amnesty initiative say it is needed because undocumented immigrants play a critical role in the U.S. economy, but without legal status face exploitation in the workplace.

"There is a shortage of labor, and the economy is very strong," said Maricela Garcia, executive director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, making the argument for a new amnesty.

The amnesty idea was endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Locally, Cardinal Francis George signed a petition along with 50,000 other Chicago-area residents who support amnesty and the abolition of employer sanctions. But opponents say it is not only unneeded, but would send a bad message.

"It's not an amnesty. It's clemency and reward," said Dan Stein, executive director with the Federation for American Immigration Reform in Washington.

Stein also said it is irresponsible to talk about amnesty without discussing increased border control. He also said that the 1986 amnesty was intended to be a one-time offer, and it failed because the number of undocumented immigrants has almost doubled since then.

"It was a disaster. We shouldn't repeat that mistake," Stein said.

The Clinton administration has indicated support for a modest amnesty that could affect as many as 500,000 immigrants not eligible for the 1986 amnesty even though they were in the U.S. at the time.

There is no specific timetable for the new amnesty proposal, but political experts say it would be difficult to muster support for a wide-scale amnesty in the Republican-controlled Congress.

"I'm not optimistic it would pass," said former Illinois Democratic Sen. Paul Simon, who was instrumental in crafting a political compromise that led to passage of the landmark 1986 amnesty.

Chavez-Thompson said unions are reaching out to immigrants only in part because they want them as future members.

"We should be angry about how they are abused and held hostage at their jobs," she said.

Chavez-Thompson pointed to situations like those faced by Ana, a Salvadoran native who slipped across the border four months ago determined to earn money to pay for an operation for her mother, who is going blind.

Ana, who fearing deportation declined to give her full name, said she landed a job at a Chicago bakery where undocumented workers were assigned the worst shifts. When she left for a new job, however, Ana claimed the bakery refused to pay her for 10 hours she was owed. The bakery only backed down after a local pastor intervened, she said.

"Many workers are afraid to speak up for their rights because they are afraid they will be deported," Ana said.

Indeed, at the weekend AFL-CIO hearing, a number of workers told about living in constant fear of INS raids, a situation that some said made them easy prey for sexual abuse by their bosses.

"They constantly keep the threat of immigration raids over our heads," said Carmen Najera, a laundry worker in Chicago.

Most immigrants want to join unions but back away, fearful of drawing the attention of the INS, said Sergio Monterrubio, an organizer for Local 881 of the United Food and Commercial Workers in Chicago.

"Amnesty is the way we'll be able to go out and organize these folks," he said.

Maribel, 43, a Mexican immigrant said she worked in a north suburban plastic factory for six years until her employer was notified by the Social Security Administration that she and other workers were using false Social Security numbers. Maribel claimed the employer told her and the others that if they came back with new Social Security numbers and changed their identities, they could keep their jobs--though they would have to forgo any vacation time due.

"Martha became Esperanza. Many of the workers changed their Social Security number," said Maribel, who also declined to give her full name. "The boss knew that they were all illegal."

But Maribel said she left the job and claimed she was never paid $700 for vacation time she was owed. "It would be good to have amnesty so we don't have to put up with all the abuses," said Maribel, who found a job at another factory.