I don't see why the immgrants are coming to america anyway when all our jobs are being sent overseas and the americans are out of work!!!!!!!! Sounds like to me something got lost in translation. I think it's high time President Bush and all our leaders in congress who get a paycheck for the rest of their life do something to help the american's and stop letting the immgrants over here!!!! Brenda Allen

Jim,

I have to disagree. As a former fast food manager, I know who applies for those jobs and who does not. A great deal depends on the area, but I know first hand who wants and who does not want these jobs.

Further, a few years ago when my ex-father-in-law lost his job, I told him I would hire him in my restaurant. He said no. He would rather collect unemployment until it ran out. Then what I asked. He said he couldn't work for what little my restaurant paid (well above minimum wage BTW). My argument back to him was low pay is better than no pay.

He felt he was above the job...in essence, a job an American didn't want.

So my life experiences tell me you are wrong. I still don't believe we should just open our borders...but why make it so difficult to employ the illegalls that are already here when they DO want the jobs that AMERICANS don't want?

So gaytony, it is stated here for the world to read that one would rather employ illegal persons rather than searching for a legal person? That seems unAmerican!

At least Jim Franz has it correct that the unemployment figures fed the public is "a snapshot of who qualifies and receives unemployment benefits." The numbers fed the public are in no way accurrate.

Evidently Jim has not tried to hire someone to farm, paint, do lawn work, clean etc etc. Hire a lawn care company, no matter how small and see who comes to do the actual work, and it won't be american workers. Try to hire someone to pick tomatoes and the only people who respond are not american.
I talke to a farmer recently who has acres of tomatoes to pick. In the past he said that high school kids would fight over the job in the summer, now he gets no response when advertising in the local schools and papers. His only choice is to hire migrant farm workers who may or not be legeal.
I have advertised for help in cleaning a wooded area around my house, so far no response except companies who employee only migrant workers or others. I advertised for a painter, got one response and he could only do it in a month from now.
I get the same story from too many others to come out and say that there are certainly americans who will do this kind of work. If there are any, they don't live in WNC.

Daryl,
You obviously did not read my post. How can you employ what doesn't apply? If you have suggestions, please print them...because I am sure there are current employers who struggle with this daily.

Well gaytony, if the proof of right to work in the US is checked thoroughly, those illegals would not be able to get the job in the first place. And do not say that there is no manpower or time to do that. That background check is a federal law!

The people who come to this country to work (illegally or otherwise) come here TO WORK! They do not feel that picking tomatoes or working in the tobacco fields is beneath them. The school kids that used to provide this unplesant labor has been spoiled by an easy lifestyle provided by their parents.(imo)
Gtony,my son works at a fast food resturant during the summer and part time during school terms. He says about what you do:Local kids are hard to find who wants to do this type of work. They have been conditioned by their parents to believe that this type of work is beneath them. I'm not talking about ALL kids,but there are many who feel this way. This is a shame imo.

AMEN Jon!!!!!!

Jon,

You are right. It is a shame kids feel this type of work is beneath them. Hard work is hard work...and it builds character.

Darryl,

You STILL didn't answer my question. How do you hire what doesn't apply????? If you have suggestions...PLEASE PLEASE print them. Employers would love to hire legal American citizens over illegal immigrants. BUT HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHEN THEY DON'T APPLY??? You have not addressed any of my comments, but only stated federal law...blah blah blah. Give some advice...some suggestions....believe me, I am all ears. In today's economy, you never know when you will find me back in restaurant work.

gaytony, if what is legal does not apply, DO NOT hire the illegals. Work the workers you have. Explain to them the situation and I am sure that most people would love to have a little extra money in their paycheck.

Now, I have answered the question posed to me. How about answering my question....and if needed, look back, it is there.

Shalom

jon, If all the immigrants who come here come here to work, as you stated, why could an employer not hire a legal vs illegal one? I mean, if they all are here for the same purpose a legal one would be a legal choice, right? I know most that cross the border are illegal but there are some who follow the laws of our land and arrive with green cards.

Until you live in a town that is over 60% hispanic and have to pay higher property taxes, higher insurance rates and pay for all the freebies given to illegals, you don't have a clue as to how much it costs American citizens for employers to hire "cheap", illegal labor.

That is one of the reasons Bush does not do anything to curb the influx of illegals crossing the border. The only people who really benefit from hiring illegals are big businesses. They do not have to pay them minimum wage, provide them with benefits or decent working conditions. It's like having sweat shops right here in America.

Employers hiring illegals keep the minimum wage minimum. So the American worker who is willing to work but can find only low-paying jobs are also paying the price for hiring illegals. Again big business is the winner.

Who do you think has to pick up the tab for what the big businesses are not providing for these illegals? The American taxpayers, in the form of free health care, food stamps, low to no interest business loans that we have to repay when the business fails and the illegals skip, subsidized housing, free educations, the saleries of bilingual interperters, etc,etc.

Please think of this the next time you think we are getting a bargin by hiring illegals.

Darryl,

I obviously didn't get your question. If I am managing a restaurant, and my labor guide calls for 15 People to manage my shift succesfully, but I only have 11 illegals and NO legals who are willing to work, what am I to do? I can't make my 11 perform as 15...my customers will suffer. My dining room will be dirty, or my frys will be cold. Overtime doesn't solve the problem!

I think that you have never worked in the service industry, because you don't understand the employee per man-hour ratio. You still have not told me how I can get people who are legal to apply, and work, and perform. Americans in general do not want to work in fast food.

If you offer suggestions, which you have YET to do, we ARE LISTENING.

We can do the legal paperwork with I9's, but it really doesn't matter. When you come through my drive through, you don't care that it takes me longer to process your order and get it right because I only have 11 of the 15 needed. You are pissed off because my drive through was slow. GIVE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO HIRE LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZENS!!! Then I will get you through quickly with accurate quick service! Then I won't defend the illegal immigrants here working!

Yvonne, I agree thay employers ahould hire the legal immigrants as opposed to the illegal ones.My point was that there are many of them (legal or otherwise)who are doing the jobs many american kids don't want due to the easy lifesyyle afforded them by their parents. Not all kids mind you,but enough of them to cause a shortage of local workers who will harvest crops and prime the tobacco fields,etc.

Also, you don't have to live in a town that has 60% immigrants to understand the burden that the illegals place on the taxpayers. Those of us who pay taxes at any level,federal,state,etc.all share the burden of the cost in one form or another,but to suggest that the only people who benefit from hiring illegals are big business is a bit of a streach imo. Farmer Brown who has a few acres of tomatoes and tobacco is not a big business in my book. I may be wrong here and I can offer no documentation for it but I would be very supprised to learn that RJR/nabisco,or the new dell plant will have a majority of illegal immigrants(sweatshops) on their payroll.

Bush does nothing to stop the illegals because he wants to provide big business with cheap labor? Please,I am no big fan of Bush when it comes to the immigration issue as he has showed very little real intrest in stopping it,but to say that the reason for it is to provide his big business buddies with a cheap labor pool is ridiculous. He ,like politicans on both sides of the aisle, see them as a source of votes.(exception here to Gov.Bill Richardson of NM.who is crackind down on the border crossings by enlisting the NM national guard).

Yvonne,have a great day! Really!

jon, Thank you for a most cordial response. We do not have to agree to be civil to one another. Thanks for proving that.

My point about big business is this: Farmer Brown may benefit initially from hiring cheap labor but "poor" Farmer Brown will have to subsidize, in the long run, many programs to support "cheap" labor. Big business will not.

You have a blessed day also.

Jon, school kids can't work in fast food restaurants while they're in school. That applies from past to present. So your assertion that kids today have become lazier or view certain jobs as beneath them doesn't really account for the fact that certain employers have trouble finding employees for lower-level jobs. Be it today or 50 years ago, somebody besides the school kid had to apply for that crappy job nobody else wanted.

The answer is most simply that Americans in general have come to strive for better jobs. Why flip burgers when you can go to college and become a lawyer? Or a doctor? Both pay infinitely more, and they don't require back-breaking labor. You're right in a sense: Society encourages children to pursue the aforementioned jobs, not settle for a position in KFC. Indeed, your child only works in fast food during the SUMMER, and he's only doing it because it pre-dates his college years.

Of course some people don't go to college. But today, in contemporary America, more people go to college than ever before. Couple that decline in menial labor supply with a growth of business, and you've accounted for the shift in the workers of places like McDonalds.

In short, leave our school children alone. :p :)

Since employers are speaking about their personal experiences with not being able to find Americans to fill the jobs, I know from experience of trying to find entry jobs and low paying jobs that people turn me away left and right. Even though these are jobs I'm willing to do.

Three phrases should be among the most common in our daily usage. They are: Thank you, I am grateful and I appreciate.

Three phrases should be among the most common in our daily usage. They are: Thank you, I am grateful and I appreciate.