Few Americans take immigrants' jobs in Alabama

[Zippyjuan]

http://my.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20111020/a320b7f6-9b00-496f-bee7-673370996586
Hard to replace it seems.

October 20, 2011 9:10 PM EDT
ONEONTA, Ala. (AP) — Potato farmer Keith Smith saw most of his immigrant workers leave after Alabama's tough immigration law took effect, so he hired Americans. It hasn't worked out: Most show up late, work slower than seasoned farm hands and are ready to call it a day after lunch or by midafternoon. Some quit after a single day.

In Alabama and other parts of the country, farmers must look beyond the nation's borders for labor because many Americans simply don't want the backbreaking, low-paying jobs immigrants are willing to take. Politicians who support the law say over time more unemployed Americans will fill these jobs. They insist it's too early to consider the law a failure, yet numbers from the governor's office show only nominal interest.

"I've had people calling me wanting to work," Smith said. "I haven't turned any of them down, but they're not any good. It's hard work, they just don't work like the Hispanics with experience."

Alabama passed its law in June and it was immediately challenged by the Obama administration as it has been in other states. Unlike those states' measures, Alabama's law was left largely in place while challenges played out in court, frightening Hispanics and driving many of them away.

The agriculture industry suffered the most immediate impact. Farmers said they will have to downsize or let crops die on the vine. As the season's harvest winds down, many are worried about next year.

In south Georgia, Connie Horner has heard just about every reason unemployed Americans don't want to work on her blueberry farm. It's hot, the hours are long, the pay isn't enough and it's just plain hard.

"You can't find legal workers," Horner said. "Basically they last a day or two, literally."

Horner, who runs an 8½-acre organic blueberry farm, said she tried to use the government's visa program to hire foreign workers, but it was too costly and time consuming.

She plans to stop growing organically and start using a machine to pick the berries.

"I did everything I possibly could to be legal and honest and not part of the problem," Horner said. "Morally, I can't knowingly hire illegal workers."

Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican who signed the law, started a program last week to help businesses, particularly farmers, make up for the lost labor. So far, about 260 people interested in temporary agricultural jobs have signed up. About three dozen job openings have been posted, said Tara Hutchison, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations. She said the department doesn't know of anyone who has been hired.

Sen. Scott Beason, a Republican, said he has received several emails and phone calls from people thanking him for helping them get jobs. He described one getting promoted from a part-time job with no benefits to a full-time job with benefits because some other immigrant workers left. He said none of the workers who thanked him have wanted to talk to the media.

"They are paranoid of publicity. They are like, 'I don't want to get shredded up like y'all are.' ... I really can't blame them," he said.

Over the past two weeks, The Associated Press has reached out to the governor's office and other officials to provide the names of Alabama residents who have taken immigrant jobs. Either they were not made available, or didn't want to speak publicly.

Brent Martin, an Alabama resident, started working on a tomato farm in an area northeast of Birmingham after the law was passed. On Thursday, he and two other Americans were clearing about 24,000 tomato stakes off a 4-acre plot. He said few Americans who would stick with it.

"There are plenty who could do it, but would they? I don't know about that. I don't see why they wouldn't as bad as the economy is right now," Martin said.

Relatively high unemployment rates — about 9 percent in the U.S. and 9.9 in Alabama — are not likely to push Americans toward farm work, said Demetrios Papademetriou, president and co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute. He suggested the problem may be more deeply rooted.

 

[torchbearer]

everyone should watch south park's 'last last of the meheecans ';,,

 

[torchbearer]

http://www.skoften.net/index/video/south_park_s15e09_the_last_of_the_meheecans

watch the border patrol trying to keep mexicans in the US so that menial labor jobs will stay filled.

 

[Cutlerzzz]

http://www.skoften.net/index/video/south_park_s15e09_the_last_of_the_meheecans

watch the border patrol trying to keep mexicans in the US so that menial labor jobs will stay filled.

+1

 

[Danke]

So if it doesn't pay enough to get off the govenment hand outs...duh.

 

[ctnjason]

So if it doesn't pay enough to get off the govenment hand outs...duh.

Why on earth would i want to get off the couch from watching Maury Povich all day and <gasp> work, when all i gotta do is sit here and keep gettin government handouts

 

[Revolution9]

I just checked craigslist for Alabama cities and there isn't any agricultural jobs posted. It is not that they don't want the work. They don't even know it is there.

rev9

 

[phill4paul]

While I agree I don't see a slew of Americans jumping at the chance to work in the fields much of this is due to wage vs. labor. Wages could see a rise to levels that Americans would choose to work with negligible economic hardship to the purchaser. I've seen comparable comparisons but this was the first that popped up.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebat...sts-and-benefits-of-a-raise-for-field-workers

 

[xFiFtyOnE]

These farmers are use to paying $8 hour with no overtime rate. I don't know many legals willing to be slumped over in the sun all day for that kind of pay. Something needs to be worked out.

 

[donnay]

Give this a couple of years...people haven't seen a real depression yet. In all honesty, Americans are spoiled and have lived a good portion of their lives in an illusion of luxury. When the veil drops from their eyes, they will be willing to dig ditches and do whatever it takes just to survive.

If you think I wrong, just talk to people who survived the last depression.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

they just don't work like the Hispanics with experience

Experience is not a minor consideration. IBM could attempt to lay-off and completely replace it's workforce in one day, but I'd wager that wouldn't work out so well either. And pay would not be a factor.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I just checked craigslist for Alabama cities and there isn't any agricultural jobs posted. It is not that they don't want the work. They don't even know it is there.

rev9

Of course.

And even if they advertise, it doesn't mean they really want to hire. It's just cover for manipulating government programs or lobbying for new favors from government.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU

 

[specsaregood]

These farmers are use to paying $8 hour with no overtime rate. I don't know many legals willing to be slumped over in the sun all day for that kind of pay. Something needs to be worked out.

Cut the unlimited unemployment and require it for any sort of aid and they'll do it.

 

[specsaregood]

everyone should watch south park's 'last last of the meheecans ';,,

Funny, when I was a kid I was expected to do a lot of that work. When my mom and dad were kids, they were expected to do the same and work in the fields (grandparents were farmers).

Never referred to it as "mexican work", we just called it doing "our chores".

 

[Cowlesy]

Funny, when I was a kid I was expected to do a lot of that work. When my mom and dad were kids, they were expected to do the same and work in the fields (grandparents were farmers).

Never referred to it as "mexican work", we just called it doing "our chores".

Pulling rocks out of the ground to make room for the planting. Know lots of friends who did that running in front of the tractor with their pops yelling "HURRY UP DAMN IT."

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Funny, when I was a kid I was expected to do a lot of that work. When my mom and dad were kids, they were expected to do the same and work in the fields (grandparents were farmers).

Never referred to it as "mexican work", we just called it doing "our chores".

Eastern European immigrants I have met have talked about harvest with fond memories as a great time. Everyone pitched in, and then had huge parties. I'm not sure what the wages were relative to their situation, but my impression was that is was more about a community effort.

 

[William R]

Farmers are used to an endless supply of cheap labor from Mexico. Subsidized labor. I'm sure there are machines out there that can harvest potatoes. Automation. There's no such thing as a labor shortage. Just low wages.

 

[wannaberocker]

Well in a free market. THis would mean that the pay is not enough to attract workers. Its not a matter of "Americans dont want to do these jobs". Its a matter of the pay is so low that the American worker dosnt feel its worth it to take this job. In a free market this will force employers to raise their pay rates to attract workers.

Think of it like the crab fishermen. They risk their lives for that job, not because they wanna die. But because the pay matches the highly risky work envirnament.

 

[truthspeaker]

In Texas I've seen more and more non-hispanics taking blue collar jobs. Construction and yes, even lawn maintenance. In fact, I know 3 people who couldn't find jobs in their field turning to these tasks. I applaud them. I don't 100% believe what the media is pushing on this one. Just drive around and you'll see this shift.

 

[xFiFtyOnE]

Farmers are used to an endless supply of cheap labor from Mexico. Subsidized labor. I'm sure there are machines out there that can harvest potatoes. Automation. There's no such thing as a labor shortage. Just low wages.

You are correct. It's not that Americans won't do the work. It's that they won't do it for that pay. Who wants to do back breaking labor for near minimum wage when you can make the same pay working at McDonalds in the climate controlled environment.