Despite economy, Americans don't want farm work VISALIA, Calif. â As the economy tanked during the past two years, a debate has raged over whether immigrants are taking jobs that Americans want. Here, amid the sweltering vineyards of the largest farm state, the answer is no. Most Americans simply don't apply for jobs harvesting fruits and vegetables in California, where one of every eight people is out of work, according to government data for a federal seasonal farmworker program analyzed by The Associated Press. "It's just not something that most Americans are going to pack up their bags and move here to do," said farmer Steve Fortin, who pays $10.25 an hour to foreign workers to trim strawberry plants for six weeks each summer at his nursery near the Nevada border. He has spent $3,000 this year ensuring domestic workers have first dibs on his jobs in the sparsely populated stretch of the state, advertising in newspapers and on an electronic job registry. But he hasn't had any takers, and only one farmer in the state hired anyone using a little-known, little-used program to hire foreign farmworkers the legal way â by applying for guest worker visas. Benjamin Reynosa, who was picking ruby-colored grapes in 90-degree heat near Fowler Friday morning, said he often is the only U.S. legal resident on seasonal crews. He said most people hear about the jobs through word of mouth or signs tacked outside rural stores, not the electronic registry. "I've been working in agriculture for 22 years and I can tell you there are very few gringos out here," said Reynosa, 49, of Orange Cove, said. "If people know English, they go to work in packinghouses or sit in an office." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100927/ap_on_bi_ge/us_immigration_jobs_4
The problem is the Californians and thier 800K McMansion mortgage will not be covered by 10 bucks an hour work. And dont forget to subtract the cost of transportation and childcare cost and 10 bucks an hour ends up working for free. If we let deflation hit, then when homes cost 15K, gallon of milk for 15 cents, 12 eggs for 48 cents. Then 10 bucks an hour picking tomatoes sounds good. I wish you folks understood this simple math.
Right, the populus of this country suffers from a collective Stockholm Sydrome. They hear their overlords constant propoganda and without a shred of resistance gradually believe it to be in their best interests. But it goes deeper than that. What we have in play nowadays are generational bailouts; i.e. the generation in power needs to keep the value of assets artificially high to ensure that they can continue their lifestyles and damn the consequences. After all, if houses lost 90% of their value and stocks a similar amount, well we'd have alot of really pissed off retirees who generally believe they deserve to have a house that is worth 5x what it was 20 years ago and the same for stocks.
In California unemployment pays $450 per week. If you break that down hourly over 40 hours, it comes to $11.25 per hour. So what sounds better...$10 bucks per hour to be out in 90 degree heat doing manual labor or $11.25 per hour sitting at your air conditioned home watching Oprah, football, facebooking or even wasting time on elitetrader?
Now that would explain some of the welfare state apologists who come on here. Most haven't traded anything other than baseball cards and food stamps.
immigrants come in and work for half wages,go to the store and see if you can persuade the guy to give you half off on everything, not happening.....immigrants work for less to take american jobs, businesses charge same price for goods, now businesses will give you back your job at immigrant wages..fine if you want to move 3 families into one house..i can't understand why the americans are reluctant to do this
Take away unemployment and other benefits available to people who would rather not work, and Americans will take these jobs.
I would also add the fact that lots of unemployed folks are currently working on the sidelines for cash jobs. In my area there are tons of union contractors collecting unemployment and performing work for cash remodeling houses.