5 ms·

I can't speak to construction in particular, but my statement is 100% true for low-wage ag labor. See https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wisconsin-dairy-industry-un

I can't speak to construction in particular, but my statement is 100% true for low-wage ag labor. See https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wisconsin-dairy-industry-undocumented-workers_n_59c3cfb7e4b06f93538cfd3f https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wisconsin-dairy-industry-undo... for examples in the dairy industry.

darkpuma 7y ago
For a few years I worked in the bean processing industry alongside many other citizens, working for a small (relatively speaking) ag business that only hired citizens on principle. These jobs were highly competitive; I only got the job because I had the privilege of the owner being my godfather. These were low skill jobs that other businesses would use illegal labor below minimum wage for. My first job for him was standing next to a conveyor belt and picking the sticks out of the beans. Real boring work, but for my education level at the time the pay was great. I eventually moved on, but I have a lot of friends from highschool still working for that business (now working for my godfather's son, who took over the business after his father retired a while back.) So what you are saying may be largely true for low-wage ag labor, but it's not 100% true for fair wage low-skill ag labor.
Consultant32452 7y ago
That article makes it pretty clear that wages are kept "unnaturally low" (their language) due to the immigrant labor pool. The whole article has gross, racist undertones of wanting a brown serf class to do disgusting work in terrible conditions for poverty wages.
- idlewords 7y ago
  Those gross, racist undertones accurately describe the status quo in places like Iowa, where there is a huge labor shortage and tons of racism.
  - darkpuma 7y ago
    Regional labor shortages are a BS excuse. Every business in those states, whether they are paying illegal wages or fair wages, will ship their labor in. When I was working in Indiana they shipped me in and put me up in a cheap hotel, just like they'd do if they were paying an illegal wage. Contrary to the popular narrative, businesses CAN pay migrant labor fair wages. Few of them will voluntarily do so though, which is why this country desperately needs revamped modernized labor laws.

darkpuma 7y ago

For a few years I worked in the bean processing industry alongside many other citizens, working for a small (relatively speaking) ag business that only hired citizens on principle. These jobs were highly competitive; I only got the job because I had the privilege of the owner being my godfather. These were low skill jobs that other businesses would use illegal labor below minimum wage for. My first job for him was standing next to a conveyor belt and picking the sticks out of the beans. Real boring work, but for my education level at the time the pay was great. I eventually moved on, but I have a lot of friends from highschool still working for that business (now working for my godfather's son, who took over the business after his father retired a while back.) So what you are saying may be largely true for low-wage ag labor, but it's not 100% true for fair wage low-skill ag labor.

Consultant32452 7y ago

That article makes it pretty clear that wages are kept "unnaturally low" (their language) due to the immigrant labor pool. The whole article has gross, racist undertones of wanting a brown serf class to do disgusting work in terrible conditions for poverty wages.

idlewords 7y ago
Those gross, racist undertones accurately describe the status quo in places like Iowa, where there is a huge labor shortage and tons of racism.
- darkpuma 7y ago
  Regional labor shortages are a BS excuse. Every business in those states, whether they are paying illegal wages or fair wages, will ship their labor in. When I was working in Indiana they shipped me in and put me up in a cheap hotel, just like they'd do if they were paying an illegal wage. Contrary to the popular narrative, businesses CAN pay migrant labor fair wages. Few of them will voluntarily do so though, which is why this country desperately needs revamped modernized labor laws.