Alabama can't find anyone to fill the jobs of the immigrants they kicked out
By Delia PlessDecember 9th, 2011, 3:45 pmComments (39)
Behind the illegal- immigration debate, there's always been that lingering question: aren't most Americans really too flabby and lazy to do the kind of back-breaking work illegal immigrants do for us? Finally, there's an answer: yes.
After Alabama passed HR 56, an immigration law targeted at chasing out as many illegals as possible, the state hasn't been able to find anyone willing to fill the jobs left by illegal immigrants:
"Farmers have complained of a lack of field hands since parts of the law took effect in late September. Many have said legal residents aren't physically able or mentally tough enough to perform the work, and others won't do so because it doesn't pay enough."
So there you have it. Even in one of the most economically trashed states in the country, farm work is still too laborious and low-paying for most Americans. It looks like it's A Day Without a Mexican in the Forrest Gump State. So what are they going to do?
"Alabama agriculture officials are considering whether prisoners can fill a chronic labor shortage the farm agency blames on the state's new law against illegal immigration."
Well. Cruel and unusual? Maybe. But those peanuts aren't going to harvest themselves.
Commentarium (39 Comments)
I guess I must be stupid, do you think if they paid a decent wage they could find people willing to do the work? Undocumented that cannot complain about wages, working conditions or long hours are the reason the employer can pay such low wages. Allowing illegals to do these jobs at substandard pay pushes down wages in general. I just cannot understand the argument that these are jobs that only imigrants will do, it is .. yea immigrants will the work at the low wages, force the employers to pay more.
This. Exactly this. There are plenty of Americans that do intense physical labour every day, acting like that is beyond us is ridiculous. But they will not do it for the ridiculously unfair conditions and pay that illegal immigrants were able to work with.
"Mentally tough enough," Jesus Christ. The things that implies about what the immigrants have been putting up with without complaint. The state has made their bed; let them lie in it.
I agree. Of course, given that nearby states are still using illegal immigrants, the farmers will be unable to sell their crops at the higher prices they will need to charge.
So...Americans will do these jobs if there is enough pay. I guess that that means that you'll be willing to pay more for every single item that you consume.
BMD - you hit the nose on the head. I think that's why we don't see wages going up to lure US citizens and legal residents to take these jobs, because farmers and distributors know US consumers will gripe if the increased labor costs are passed along to them.
Yes, people would complain, but I doubt it would change their purchasing decisions. Getting Americans to pay the actual price of the food they eat is a very slow change that's been building up for the past few years, and it'll probably take at least a few decades more before we are actually paying what it costs (the environment, the government, the farmer) what it costs to make food in America. That doesn't mean it's a bad or unnecessary change, though.
The hiring of illegal immigrants has lowered wages in construction. It used to be that a person could make a living wage before the 70's. Neo-cons love illegals because it lowers labor costs for business, dems love illegals because of the Hispanic vote. Ordinary Americans are the losers.
It depends. If they could get cheaper produce imported from another country, they would probably buy that instead of paying higher prices for domestically grown produce.
True, @nope. But the distance between American produce and imported produce is still so significant I don't think that's an immediate problem.
Really? I live in California, where one of the biggest parts of the economy is agriculture. So you would think that the vast majority of the produce in my grocery store would be California, since it can literally be brought in from a few hours away. I have to constantly check labels to make sure I'm buying local, because of the huge amount of produce that is not just from out of state, but from Mexico, Chile, etc. Of course I'm only referring to produce that can be and is grown in California, and I even see this when stuff is in season.
Which products are these, @nope? It's funny, because I constantly heard the reverse problem when I worked with some farmers in Mexico: that after NAFTA, many Mexican farms couldn't keep their prices as low as the imported American goods. And I know that our livestock facilities are some of the cheapest around.
Two words:
Child Labor
Go away Newt!
bigdude. Aside from the wage issue, most 'Merikans really are too outta shape and wimpy ("not mentally tough enough") to do these jobs...also, the work "only immigrants will do" has been so stigmatized that the next best option to get that work done is to turn to the incarcerated.
Keep it up, AZ. It's going to get way more fucked up before it gets even slightly less fucked up.
a bingo!
it's Alabama, not Arizona.
almost doesn't matter which state it is...the whole immigration/labor issue is a mess pretty much where ever you go in these fine US of A.
all sorts of illegal farm workers where I live. Their shitty wages don't keep us from paying out the ass for produce. If the farmers have to pay more for labor, then prices will go up, demand will go down, prices will come back down. It will even out after a time. In the meantime, we should all follow Alabama's example and chase the illegals out of this country. If you are here legally, we welcome what you have to contribute. If you're here illegally, then fuck off and go home; you're a burden on the taxpayers.
demand for food will go down?
They are not a burden to taxpayers
well, if we're really going to talk econ here, prices dont affect demand, but rather the quantity demanded. Also, you're an asshole. fuck off and go back to watching fox news or whatever it is you do when forming political opinions.
Fuck you right back. That's usually the response I get when I'm right. And I am right. Have you seen the rising prices of peanut butter lately? They have gone up a lot. The result has been that the QUANTITY DEMANDED has gone way down. Eventually it will all balance out since peanut butter, like most produce, isn't a necessity. People will adjust their produce needs. Yes, I've read about the great invisible hand that guides economies.
I have done tons of tough physical labor - loading trucks (big rigs) mostly. Plenty of people have, you get INTO shape real quick. I made good but not great money, but I also was respected by the people (truck drivers) who hired me. I've also worked around ag workers in the fields. These farmers treat migrants like slaves and always have, see Steinbeck for a glimpse. They are allowed exemptions for just about everything, have received billions in subsidies, are massive polluters, and use resources like water as if it were infinite.(it isn't)
Time to rethink food, right down to the basics, before we starve AND go broke.
to Gazabo ~
fyi: other than meat and certain cash crops, farmers get far fewer subsidies than people think.
Glad to the know the guys above are hard workers. I work with people who are mostly from lower income, and they always complain about not being able to find jobs, but if you have a family to support shouldn't you take the low paying job ?
I support the thought, but I have a feeling that the situation is more complicated than that. I'm guessing that if the labor industry in that part of the state was dominated by illegal workers for several years, many folks who would have otherwise taken the jobs moved elsewhere. I can understand someone unemployed not wanted to relocate for a low paying job.
On top of that, status obviously matters a lot, and jobs dominated by illegal workers are decidedly low status. I can understand why people aren't jumping at the opportunity.
Double the wage, and cut benefits for the unemployed. Poof. Workers.
Or instead of the latter, tax the top 10% at 75%-90% to make up for the former.
The revolution is anyway forthcoming.
You make no sense. If you take away 90% of someone's earnings, what is their incentive to work hard or be successful at all?
...put them in jail if they stop working. Poof, high wage earners.
25% of $400,000 is a fuck of a lot more than most people make.
True, but completely irrelevant... there is no incentive to do your best when someone else comes along and takes 75% (or 90%) of what you earn, regardless of what amount that is deducted from.
I know that this is serious business but:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
A farmer in Washington state was paying over $20/hr to harvest his apples.
That paid wages, room, board and guards.
Why guards? Because he hired the residents of the local prison.
And to bigdude's point, Cesar Chavez was anti-illegal immigration for just those reasons. The illegals had no rights and would work for less under worse condition and not complain because those employing them would just turn them in to INS/ICE. Illegal immigrants lower the value of labor and allow for the exploitation of that labor force.
Why on earth would we do backbreaking, hard labour like farm work when we can just collect unemployment or welfare? WTF is my incentive?
I do not think that you are familiar with the way unemployment or welfare works in this nation. You are not eligible for welfare unless you actively participate with state organizations that help find work for the unemployed and unless you maintain assets of less than $2,000; you are not eligible for unemployment unless you have worked in the past year. If you are under the impression that welfare or unemployment is a career choice you are very delusional about what it means to be poor in America.
Time for prison chain gangs to pick veggies...no one ever accused Alabama of having very intelligent people. Let them suffer the consequences of their own idiocy.
So not raising the labor wage rate to meet the market demand is just so, so SOCIALIST.
Real Americans let the hidden hand clear the capitalist market.
Now you say something