Low-paid illegal work force has little impact on prices

The Seattle Times ^ | September 19, 2006 | Drew DeSilver

[ruination]

More than 7 million illegal immigrants work in the United States. They build houses, pick crops, slaughter cattle, stitch clothes, mow lawns, clean hotel rooms, cook restaurant meals and wash the dishes that come back.

You might assume that the plentiful supply of low-wage illegal workers would translate into significantly lower prices for the goods and services they produce. In fact, their impact on consumer prices — call it the "illegal-worker discount" — is surprisingly small.

[Dane]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

And you know this how? American home ownership is at an all time high, so I guess people aren't complaining about the quality of homes if they are buying them.

BTW, homes now come with more features and conviences that were practically unheard of 15 years ago.

Yeah it that evil construction businesses fault for doing that, those greedy capitalists..

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[wolfcreek]

And you know this how?


I guess you can't read or discern what you are reading.


I'VE SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES!

[Edit35]

These media hacks (such as the Seattle Times) always focus on the illegal immigrant affect on farm products when in reality, illegals make a much bigger impact on residential/consumer service prices, such as paving, carpentry, painting, etc. (in my neck of the woods, anyway)

That said, I maintain that the worst thing about the massive influx of illegals is the lowering of standards, influx of crime, spread of third-world disease, and the overbearing burden on schools and hospitals, etc.

I somewhat care about the economics, but I CARE MORE about my kids and grandkids NOT HAVING TO FIGHT THEIR NEIGHBORS FOR THE right to speak english and maintain the Eurocentric Judeo-Christian values which have kept the US the most reverred in the world.

The Wallstreet Journal said today that there are more Hispanics in the US today than all the combined Irish, British, and Jewish immigrants who came to America in the past 400 years.

If we continue on that pace, we will not recognize the US in the year 2050, of that I am certain.

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[stopsign]

I've been in or around the construction business for more than 30 yrs. People who employee illegals might be making out well on their profit margin but, the product is crap. Not only are they using 'un-skilled workers' but they are using the cheapest materials and cutting corners in every phase of development. In other words, they're screwing you and me.

I have been the construction business for over 25 years also. What you said is true... : ) <<< me

[A. Pole]

A decade ago, two Iowa State University agricultural economists estimated that removing all illegal farmworkers would raise wages for seasonal farmworkers by 30 percent in the first couple of years, and 15 percent in the medium term. But supermarket prices of summer-fall fruits and vegetables, they concluded, would rise by just 6 percent in the short run — dropping to 3 percent over time, as imports took up some of the slack and some farmers mechanized their operations or shifted out of labor-intensive crops. (Winter-spring produce would be even less affected, they found, because so much already is imported.)

Jobs Americans will not do bump

[Moonman62]

Probably because the employers a) want to keep that extra sliver of wages for themselves, and b) prefer workers that don't require benefits and that won't complain if they're mistreated.

Exactly. See my tagline.

[sausageseller]

8 times?

[Dane]

dropping to 3 percent over time, as imports took up some of the slack

LOL! Mr. all aginst imports and outsourcing(A.Pole) is all of the sudden for importing food.

Do you really hate the American farmer and who he hires that much?

[Dane]

The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.

Actually plentiful labor and slave labor are two different things.

Probably a vast majority of the Freepers posting, ancestors came over and worked hard and also they did not have to take a job at the point of the gun or the crack of the whip and were not considered the private personal property of the factory owner.

Same thing is hapening today with people taking such menial jobs such as food picking and housekeeping.

[television is just wrong]

but, they have a huge impact on our schools, housing, traffic congestion, and taxation.

[LadyNavyVet]

I'm a Freeper whose Irish ancestors came legally, at a time when there was no "social safety net" to fall back on. They worked or starved, and didn't expect handouts from the government. They didn't demand that the government conduct business in their language. The illegals of today come here and use free medical care, food stamps, etc., demand government services and education in their native languages, then have nerve to scoff at our laws by not carrying car insurance, getting drivers' licenses, etc.

Don't even try to make a comparison between the immigrants of an earlier era and the illegals today. They are not remotely similar.

[taxed2death]

It may have no impact on prices.... because the scumbags who hire them pocket the difference of not paying payroll / Workers comp / SS and leave us taxpayers to pick up the tab for the social services these illegals suck up.

[taxed2death]

"Very interesting, the far left and far right have one central theme, they hate and want to control private business.

The far left as basically as pointed out by this article hate that businesses make a profit and prosper, the far right hates those same businesses because of the people they employ in creating wealth.

Both sides are control freaks when it comes to wealth creating business."

Such a stupid statement Dane........ What do you have against LEGAL businesses competing on a level playing field?

Why have a two tiered system and a black market economy at all?
Your arguments here on FR are becoming more ridiculous by the week.

What is so hard to grasp about the concept of LEGALITY?