4 ms·

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around why the H-2 program exists at all. The H-1B program I can understand: You need talent now, and can't just wait four

by wtracy 11y ago

I'm having trouble wrapping my head around why the H-2 program exists at all. The H-1B program I can understand: You need talent now, and can't just wait four years for someone to complete the relevant degree. But for unskilled labor? You're telling me that you can't find the workers you need anywhere in the country? As long as there are people collecting unemployment in the US, you have no business bringing more people in. (Also, three months' experience required, seriously? What is so urgent that it can't wait three months and so esoteric that it requires exactly three months' training to do? You can damn well hire someone now, and magically, three months from now, they will have three months' experience!)

cbd1984 11y ago
> You're telling me that you can't find the workers you need anywhere in the country? Do you expect someone to move from Michigan to Louisiana to perform unskilled labor? Do you have any idea how expensive it is to move, and all for a McDonald's job or equivalent?
- gozur88 11y ago
  >Do you expect someone to move from Michigan to Louisiana to perform unskilled labor? If it doesn't make sense to move from Michigan, how does it make sense to move from Guatemala?
  - jqm 11y ago
    Because the increase in wages vs Guatemala wages makes it worthwhile.
    - gozur88 11y ago
      An unemployed guy in Michigan isn't making any more than an unemployed guy in Guatemala.
jqm 11y ago
Picking lettuce is a skill believe it or not. I know because I've worked in the industry. I don't agree with shady tactics (newspaper ads in other cities etc, I've seen those too). I also know many big farms are often one step away from slavers and abuse laborers for a small profit. That being said, it's sad but true that foreign laborers do have the skills and desire to do things Americans for the most part don't and won't. You can argue this and claim it isn't so.. it very much is so and I've seen it over and over and I know for certain that it's the case. I wish it wasn't. I don't know what the answer is. I'm not for slave wages. I'm not for importing lots of cheap foreign labor. But I don't want to pay $6 for a head of lettuce either. Maybe you and I don't mind... but for many people that kind of raise in food prices would be catastrophic. Hopefully robotics solves some of the problem shortly. Which of course introduces a whole new set of problems.

by wtracy 11y ago

cbd1984 11y ago

> You're telling me that you can't find the workers you need anywhere in the country? Do you expect someone to move from Michigan to Louisiana to perform unskilled labor? Do you have any idea how expensive it is to move, and all for a McDonald's job or equivalent?

gozur88 11y ago
>Do you expect someone to move from Michigan to Louisiana to perform unskilled labor? If it doesn't make sense to move from Michigan, how does it make sense to move from Guatemala?
- jqm 11y ago
  Because the increase in wages vs Guatemala wages makes it worthwhile.
  - gozur88 11y ago
    An unemployed guy in Michigan isn't making any more than an unemployed guy in Guatemala.

jqm 11y ago

Picking lettuce is a skill believe it or not. I know because I've worked in the industry. I don't agree with shady tactics (newspaper ads in other cities etc, I've seen those too). I also know many big farms are often one step away from slavers and abuse laborers for a small profit. That being said, it's sad but true that foreign laborers do have the skills and desire to do things Americans for the most part don't and won't. You can argue this and claim it isn't so.. it very much is so and I've seen it over and over and I know for certain that it's the case. I wish it wasn't. I don't know what the answer is. I'm not for slave wages. I'm not for importing lots of cheap foreign labor. But I don't want to pay $6 for a head of lettuce either. Maybe you and I don't mind... but for many people that kind of raise in food prices would be catastrophic. Hopefully robotics solves some of the problem shortly. Which of course introduces a whole new set of problems.