Sick of Mexicans Taking our Jobs

Nelliemae

[NellieMae]

I am getting really sick of the Mexican Invasion costing so many jobs in the Southwest Virginia- East Tennessee area. My husband is a brickmason. He is the 5th generation mason in his family- our son is the 6th. Up until just a couple of years ago brickmasons had contractors ringing their phones off of the wall wanting them to do work for them. My husband had to turn down dozens of callers because he couldn't do it all. Things have sure changed . Now, a lot of contractors in this area have gotten dollar signs in their eyes and all that they can see are cheap Mexican workers. My husband has actually had a contractor (real builders that know how to actually build a house are really scarce around here anymore) pull Mexicans on the job that he was working on because he was in such a hurry to get it finished that he couldn't wait the 2 weeks that it would have taken to do the whole job. They will pull in a huge crew and wipe the job out real quick. They waste a lot of brick though (they get paid by the 1000 brick). My husband is a very good, fast mason. His speed and quality is not the issue here. Most of these workers cannot even speak English. It is really aggravating to have lived in a place your entire life and have your livlihood seriously threatened by people that are not supposed to be here in the first place. How do we get rid of this problem? Also, on another related note: It was announced today that there are hundreds of jobs being cut in ANOTHER local factory, Bristol Compressors. I was told several months ago that a construction site in Mexico was marked with a sign that read:" Future site of Bristol Compressors" Is this a coincidence or is there another company by the name of Bristol Compressors?

[dalereed]

Go stick it where the sun doesn't shine!

They forced me to close a 56 year old construction company in 92 in Los Angeles.

The rest of the country is now starting to feel it.

[Porterville]

Der takin me jabss!!! Derka derka!!! Derka takin mi jabsssss.

Man skilled labor is easy. Become a foreman if you can't hack the tough stuff. Learn to be social.

[Brilliant]

Both Pelosi and Bush agree: Mexicans can do your job better than you can.

[FauxBlonde]

You have the right to offer your services at whatever price you choose. If your price is too high the organization offering the opportunity will choose someone else. You need to become competitive with the market or find something else to do.

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How can an American contractor compete price-wise with someone who is living 10 guys to an apartment and can support his family in Mexico for $300/mo?

I'm a little suprised at the lack of compassion here for this poster.

[DumpsterDiver]

You need to become competitive with the market or find something else to do.

Let me re-phrase that for you:

You need to become competitive with people who are breaking the law or find something else to do.

[NellieMae]

EXACTLY. A small company cannot compete with them on the price. You could not afford to pay your help decent wages. It is extremely hard work and my husband will not work someone for less than a good wage.

[SamAdams76]

Whenever I have work to be done at the house, I usually go with the contractor with one of the higher quotes. I prefer to give my business to people who value their workmanship and charge accordingly.

[NellieMae]

I've thought about doing that actually. I'm not sure who to call around here.

[McLynnan]

Here in Texas you can't find an English speaking framer, roofer, yardman, etc. Some days I feel fortunate if I can find groceries without Spanish/English labels. I'm sorry for your husband. I guess we aren't protesting loudly enough for our government to hear us.

[Clemenza]

Yawn!

Populism: Socialism for backwoods morons.

[QQQQ]

Competitive? mexicans don't pay workmen's comp, insurance,taxes.My neighbor hired mexican to paint his house.Very cheap.The guy(worker) fell off the the roof(painted gutters).Police,attorneys the whole nine yards...it cost my neighbor $25000 to settle...

[NellieMae]

Thank You!!

[Kozak]

You have the right to offer your services at whatever price you choose. If your price is too high the organization offering the opportunity will choose someone else.

So it's a race to the bottom with anyone that can walk swim or crawl over our borders from anywhere in the world? You really gonna like living in the third world? Cause that's where this "open borders" movement is taking us.

[KoRn]

I'm in SW VA and eventhough when I venture out to shop on weekends wondering what country I'm in, I'm not as distressed about Mexicans taking jobs as I am the jobs leaving all together. Of course I live in a very rural area that's lost around 10,000 jobs in the last decade. People around here used to be worried about Mexicans taking jobs when there were jobs here to take. Now most folks are pissed because the Mexican ladies always seem to get in line first for welfare, and they create long lines at the grocery stores during the first of the month while their Mexican boyfriends are out working on farms tax free. Of course the Mexicans that aren't working on farms are either selling meth, breaking into houses, or working for one of the Latino criminal gangs that have been popping up around here.

[unkus]

Best of luck NellieMae. See what the Sheriff says.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

They are NOT YOUR JOBS! You DON'T have the right to a job! You have the right to offer your services at whatever price you choose. If your price is too high the organization offering the opportunity will choose someone else. You need to become competitive with the market or find something else to do.

I agree with your comment....however many times it is not a competitive situation...when your competion pay's cash to their help....and don't have to match SSN and do withholding...that's not a fair playing field. Please tell me how that is fair??

[Clemenza]

BTW: I feel for your husband. Deport all illegals NOW!

However, if a factory can't produce things efficiently, let it close! There is a reason industrial employment is down WORLDWIDE, even in China.

[Pox]

One thing I've certainly noticed with the flood of cheap illegal immigrant labor is the piss poor quality of the work they are doing. The contractors sure aren't passing along their savings, and the product being sold is pathetically substandard.

However, there are those here on FR who will defend their supposed constitutional right to cheap labor. It's an issue that has it's root in greed, IMO.