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A drought of farm labor
Christian Science Monitor ^ | 12/2/5 | Daniel B. Wood

Posted on 12/02/2005 4:53:42 AM PST by Crackingham

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1 posted on 12/02/2005 4:53:43 AM PST by Crackingham
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To: Crackingham

Japanese are leading the charge in robotics while the USA is stuck with loudmouth OBL types who champion feudal work conditions and call it "cheap labor."


2 posted on 12/02/2005 4:56:23 AM PST by junta (It's Jihad stupid! Or why should I tolerate those who hate me?)
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To: Crackingham

This is other side of the story. If people don't want to work then what are these guys supposed to do?


3 posted on 12/02/2005 4:56:40 AM PST by cyborg (I'm on the 24 plan having the best day ever.)
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To: junta

The WGA is not exactly a poor mom and pop type operation, from what I understand their members are big money.


4 posted on 12/02/2005 4:57:37 AM PST by junta (It's Jihad stupid! Or why should I tolerate those who hate me?)
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To: cyborg

Its the Law of Supply and Demand. Pay more until legal workers will take the job.


5 posted on 12/02/2005 4:57:50 AM PST by Wolfie
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To: Crackingham

The laws of supply and demand work just as well for those seeking employees.


6 posted on 12/02/2005 4:58:21 AM PST by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: Crackingham

There is so much in this article to discuss. One of the most interesting assertions is that, because of the "crackdown" at the border, migrant workers have chosen to stay in America rather than take the chance of getting caught.

Of course, if you don't believe what is being said, most of this is article is a joke.

I kind of believe that they couldn't get welfare recipients to come out for $8.50 an hour and work all day.


7 posted on 12/02/2005 4:59:05 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
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To: junta

That's what I wondered!

A buddy said that they could mechanize harvests with no problem but because of some agreement with Caesar Chavez years ago, they don't.

It's time to end that...


8 posted on 12/02/2005 4:59:37 AM PST by OpusatFR
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To: Crackingham

Why don't they just close down schools and let the local students work the harvest? That's what they do in potato country.


9 posted on 12/02/2005 4:59:57 AM PST by JohnnyZ (Veterans' Day. Enough said.)
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To: Crackingham

Hey, there's a drought of BMWs in my garage, can I break the law to remedy that?


10 posted on 12/02/2005 5:00:26 AM PST by Wolfie
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To: Wolfie

when cheap labor is not available, they will find ways to innovate and mechanize.


11 posted on 12/02/2005 5:02:56 AM PST by fatrat
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To: Crackingham

What's wrong with convict labor? CA has thousands of inmates that could pick lettuce for 8 cents an hour.


12 posted on 12/02/2005 5:10:27 AM PST by edchambers (Neocon foot-soldier of the Haliburton death squad)
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To: edchambers

That's another thing that irritates me. Used to be that prison labor was a major means of support for the prisons themselves. These days the prisons are taxpayer supported.


13 posted on 12/02/2005 5:13:53 AM PST by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: Crackingham


Wow, I can imagine how far 8.50 an hour would go in California. They would rather loose a ton of food and not fill orders than pay more per hour for a worker?


14 posted on 12/02/2005 5:17:56 AM PST by SouthernFreebird
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To: Crackingham
So pay someone more to do the work. It's what the majority of businesses do when they can't find labor. These growers need to understand that it is a new day on border policy.
15 posted on 12/02/2005 5:18:03 AM PST by conservativecorner
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To: cyborg
If people don't want to work then what are these guys supposed to do?

Pay a better wage or find another business.

16 posted on 12/02/2005 5:23:48 AM PST by Marine Inspector (Government is not the solution to our problem; Government is the problem)
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To: Wolfie

... and nobody in the county should receive Unemployment or Welfare compensation for any days where any employer in the county has open positions for unskilled labor.


17 posted on 12/02/2005 5:26:58 AM PST by ChiefJayStrongbow
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To: Marine Inspector

It isnt the wage its the fact that the government will supply them a check whether they work or not so why work?

There are some people who dont want to work . Where are all those unemployed from New Orleans . You dont think any of them would do stoop work do you?

There is no reason for unemployment in this country.Plenty of jobs just too many lazy bastids that wont do them./


18 posted on 12/02/2005 5:29:18 AM PST by sgtbono2002
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To: edchambers
What's wrong with convict labor?

It takes jobs away from people who haven't committed a crime.

19 posted on 12/02/2005 5:30:47 AM PST by Wolfie
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To: SouthernFreebird

"They would rather loose a ton of food and not fill orders than pay more per hour for a worker?"

At a fairly low point, increasing the cost of the labor removes all profit from the equation, and it becomes cheaper to simply let the produce rot in the fields.

Unless, of course, you're willing to pay a lot more for lettuce. Maybe you are. I might be. But is everyone ELSE willing to get hosed for this?


20 posted on 12/02/2005 5:31:37 AM PST by BeHoldAPaleHorse (MORE COWBELL! MORE COWBELL! (CLANK-CLANK-CLANK))
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