[A. Pole]

[...]
"The meat packers are confirming what we know," says University of Maryland economics professor Peter Morici, "and that is that this large group of illegal aliens in the United States is lowering the wage rate of semiskilled workers, people who are high school dropouts or high school graduates with minimal training."

In fact, a meat-packing job paid $19 an hour in 1980, but today that same job pays closer to $9 an hour, according to the Labor Department. That's entirely consistent with what we've been reporting -- that illegal aliens depress wages for U.S. workers by as much as $200 billion a year in addition to placing a tremendous burden on hospitals, schools and other social services.
[...]

Bump

[Wolfie]

In fact, a meat-packing job paid $19 an hour in 1980, but today that same job pays closer to $9 an hour, according to the Labor Department.

Mission Accomplished.

[redgolum]

My plant is directly affected by the "protest holiday" yesterday in the meat packers. We use skin to make gelatin, and will probably have to idle later this week because of the extra down days.

[ex-snook]

TFP [thanks for ping]

Anyone with a thought as to why this happened at this time, let us know. 'Why' is always a good starting point for understanding. Thanks.

[DannyTN]

Doing jobs that Americans won't do now that the wages are rock bottom.

[Clintonfatigued]

That's a great point. And it points out a much-neglected aspect of the illegal alien debate. The government needs to penalize not only the aliens and their traffickers, but also the employers who hire them, be it knowingly or with criminally negligent ignorance.

[Lunatic Fringe]

In fact, a meat-packing job paid $19 an hour in 1980, but today that same job pays closer to $9 an hour, according to the Labor Department.

PUH-lease!!! There are lots of factors involved in this drop in wages. Better machinery, computers, JIT processing...

Who would seriously pay $19 these days to pack meat..?