Home Depot Courts Hispanics (Partners With La Raza To Hire 20,000 "Spanish-Speaking" Workers)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 02/15/05 | Renee Degross

[MisterRepublican]

Home Depot wants to put more Hispanics in orange aprons through a hiring partnership it will unveil today.

The Atlanta-based chain plans to work with several Hispanic groups to boost both hiring and its appeal to a market segment whose buying power reached $750 billion last year.

Hispanic purchasing power will reach an estimated $1 trillion by 2008, the Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility says.

Hispanics are poised to be the next generation of home buyers, said Jeffrey Humphreys, a University of Georgia economist.

"Home Depot's efforts will pay big dividends in the future" as the retailer fights with Lowe's and smaller rivals to capture that business, Humphreys said.

The National Council of La Reza, the ASPIRA Association, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and SER-Jobs for Progress will help Home Depot attract and recruit full- and part-time workers across the country. Daniel Borges, an eight-year Home Depot employee from Venezuela, said the program is a great idea since about 30 percent of shoppers are Hispanic at the Doraville store where he works.

"Customers shop where they feel welcome and comfortable and get the products and information they need," said Borges, who sported a badge saying "Yo hablo Espanol" — I speak Spanish.

"I have many regular customers who have told me they are comfortable coming to this store because they know we have bilingual associates."

[Clemenza]

From what I understand, Home Depot already employs a lot of Spanish speaking workers, even on Lawn Guyland. The one in Brooklyn employed many Dominicans and Ecuadorans, not alot of Mexicans.

[Clemenza]

Spanish is a European (ie "white") language like English, even though most Mexicans are indeed racially mixed.

[Clemenza]

Much as I despise illegal immigration and government backed bilingualism, you are wrong on a very important point. I used to travel to Mexico on business. I speak Spanish, but most of my Mexican business associated HAD TO speak English as part of their job description, it being the unofficial language of commerce.

On another point, I had a Professor, a Holocaust refugee, who went to Mexico not speaking a word of Spanish. He eventually learned, although before he did he was able to find a job working for a fellow refugee.

[dakine]

Don't bother with the "one-trick-pony", I refuted with facts an outright lie, and was accused of not reading the statistics I posted...

[Untouchable]

Here's a study for you bayourod:

The Costs of Illegal Immigration
Illegals Cost Feds $10 Billion a Year; Amnesty Would Nearly Triple Cost

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalrelease.html

If you live in the bayou, you probably have no idea of what it's like to live in places like LA where you have to buy a home 2 hours driving distance away from your employment just so your kid will have a relatively safe place to live. Gangs are another great thing illegal immigrants have to offer.

[judgeandjury]

judgeandjury: Just as lawbreaking Americans and law abiding Americans all look alike to me. But I still don't like Americans who knowingly violate the law.

bayourod: Then why don't I see you posting articles and comments critical of people who violate OSHA laws, Civil Rights laws, gun laws, tax laws, EPA laws; ADA laws, etc... No one's fooled.

So are you insinuating that I do like Americans who knowingly violate the law?

[cyborg]

Yeah you got that right. You should see the queque for jobs in the morning.

[Isabelle]

CHEAP LABOR strikes again!

[CaptainK]

It is only the Hispanic community that has been, and continues to be, catered to. Millions of tax dollars thrown away on bilingual education with dismal results. Now corporate America follows suit.

[wardaddy]

Of course, they are already here preening.

[k2blader]

I'm really tempted to make a(nother) sarcastic comment related to recent events, but I'll restrain myself. :-)

[Happy2BMe]

Hispanic purchasing power will reach an estimated $1 trillion by 2008, the Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility says.

[trubluolyguy]

A) How about the Spanish speaking public learns to speak f'ing english since they have decided to live here?

B) How do they know they are not just hiring a bunch of illegals?

C) Do they even care?

D)"Home Depot's efforts will pay big dividends in the future" as the retailer fights with Lowe's and smaller rivals to capture that business, Humphreys said."


Mr. Humphreys, we are watching. You profits over borders greedy f*cks make me sick. Have fun selling out your country A$$H0lE.

[DumpsterDiver]

I guess "corporate responsibility" (Hispanic-style) is now a euphemism for helping illegal aliens feel right at home as they continue to break the law.

Hispanic purchasing power will reach an estimated $1 trillion by 2008, the Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility says.

I hope these Hispanics don't get so carried away with their "purchasing power" that they forget their primary responsibility of sending home their protection money remittances.

[proudofthesouth]

There is a Lowe's right next door to the Home Depot closest to me. I will no longer do business with HD. If Lowe's doesn't have what I need then there's also an ACE Hardware right down the road. HD no longer exists as far as I'm concerned.

[EagleUSA]

Hispanic purchasing power will reach an estimated $1 trillion by 2008, the Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility says.
------
Until the first big disasterous event happens, caused by terrorists and munitions/bio-agents that came across our OPEN BORDERS. I wonder what Washington will do? Provide more benefits to illegals/terrorists so they will be nicer?

[Happy2BMe]

As was pointed out to me, this story broke in February - long before Katrina hit.

That $1 Trillion is now likely to at least double.

[Casloy]

How about just hire workers, PERIOD. And while you are at it, pick some with half a brain who have some clue about hardware and know what customer service is. I think I have walked out of a Home Depot check out line, leaving my full cart behind, more times than I care to remember. If I had a Lowes nearby I'd never go into a Home Depot again.

[devane617]

Hey, It's a good business move for HD. Our Pres has allowed our beautiful America to be overrun by illegals, so why should HD not take advantage of the crisis to make money?
Bush is the worse President our country has had. His legacy of destruction via II to our beautiful America will go down in history.

[ridesthemiles]

They just lost 100% of my business.

I was already unhappy with them for how they treated a neighbor who had an on the job injury earlier this year, but this takes the cake,.

The biggest question is how are they going to find 20,000 Hispanics who can pass their "pee into the bottle" tests?

I was angry enough that all the signs in the stores are both English and Spanish. We are talking about Northern Nevada here, folks, not San Diego!!!!!