Posted on 08/30/2006 11:14:35 AM PDT by SJackson
WAPATO, Yakima County — Heinz Humann was late this year. Later than he's ever been.
His workers finished thinning out apple and pear trees to prepare for the harvest in mid-August. But they should have been finished a month earlier. The past few months, it's been tough for Humann to find enough workers for what he can afford to pay. He's had plenty of work, he says. But it seems there's no one willing to do it.
Add to that the other issues that hurt his bottom line, such as taxes and environmental regulations, and "I can see the writing on the wall," he says.
"We're doomed."
Like Humann, apple growers all over Washington this summer are complaining that a heated immigration debate in the U.S. has combined with a late cherry harvest to create a shortage of agricultural workers, perhaps the worst they've seen.
Evidence in the fields of Eastern Washington is so far anecdotal. But some guess that migrant workers may be attracted away by higher-paying jobs. Others surmise that high gas prices have discouraged some workers from driving north after finishing harvests in California.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
LOL! Keep throwing out that ad hominem "elitist". Face it the children of todays baby boomers are to "good" for these jobs and would rather zombie out in front of the X-box.
BTW, McDonalds is a piece of cake compared to the busboy job I had at a chain steakhouse. At McDonald's the people throw out their own trash and they don't linger an hour after closing time, where I'd have to wait to collect their dishes and then wash their dishes and then clean and tear down the dishwasher for the night.
And they are being treated like dead fishes how? I didn't know that dead fishes jump like salmon spawning to take jobs Americans thumb their nose at.
I never disputed it. The problem is that the first part of the quote was copied from #105, and the second part was copied from #101. However, you placed them together as if they were a single comment, and responded in that vein.
Unfortunately, the two comments were made in completely different contexts. As such, it is improper to jam them together as if they were discussing the same thing.
In #101, I was responding to a claim that "somebody" was making a bunch of dough from the apples or peaches kellyna is buying for $1.50/lb. I responded that it wasn't the growers who were making that much, as their share is only 14-17% of the retail price. And, as I mentioned to you, they've got to meet all of their expenses from that 14-17% -- meaning that their profits are far less.
In #105, I made what should be a rather obvious observation: that the driving force behind illegal immigration is economic, on both sides of the border.
but instead try to make me look like a liar
Not a liar -- but the information I've laid out above makes it clear that you did a piss-poor job of quoting me. I prefer to think that you unintentionally did a bad job, as the alternative would be that you're a liar.
Change the subject, attack the messenger.
I didn't change the subject, you did -- by improperly quoting me. And then, to make matters worse, you fumbled the data and made an incorrect statement.
We see your game.
Ah, yes. The old "ominous statement" gambit. Too bad for you that "my game" in your case is simply to smoke out your wrong statements.
Pretty simplistic. There are conditions where there is no supply. I had an experience in 91 of advertising for a secretary at $6.00/hr and getting 100 applicants. Four years later I needed a secretary and went without for months. Advertising and listing with agencies brought no applicants. Finally, I got one through a referral and paid a lot. That's how much conditions can change in a labor market.
Yep. Criminals are criminals and hardworking people are hardworking people.
I find hardworking, grateful immigrants absolutely inspirational. Most of the ones I meet (who are, I think, legal...which is another issue) are absolutely overwhelmed and in love with this country.
They can not talk enough about what makes this place great. They are truly American and most go on to become fantastic patriots as a result.
Amen to that.
I always wondered if I would have been strong enough to stand up to my fellow Americans over civil rights and slavery. (Not necessarily in that order of course.)
This has been an interesting experience to say the least. Disappointing at times, but very thought-provoking.
You forgot one more thing... those stupid, pesky immigration laws criminalizing their presence for being in this country. (/sarc)
Until I had seen quite a few illegals packed like sardines into unairconditioned metal containers in the 100 degree heat, it had not really hit me how inhumanely illegals are treated by the folks who smuggle them here. I imagine these folks pay good money to be smuggled here, and I imagine they will/would do it again if caught. If they aren't dead from heat exhaustion.
If folks are willing to go to such links to pick apples in Washington, then the wages must be worth the risk. I think we'll send our children to Washington when they are old enough. Or maybe we should send them now. We could use some extra $$$$$, and Washington farmers are willing to hire folks illegally. Why not children?
As long as there are no mexican illegal aliens,I dont care if fruit doesnt get picked.An american will invent a high powered fruit picker and put the illegals out of work.So we dont really need the dumb pendejos now do we?
soooo if you are from Washington state i bet YOU remember when school let out for 2 weeks every fall so we kids could go out and pick fruit! :) that ended when? sometime in the seventies also i think, not because of the mexicans but because there were only a few of us that actually went out and worked!
nobody to sponsor university challenges to make a sufficiently gentle applebot. the current stuff, what, just kind of rakes through the trees? artificial intelligence is prolly good enough to make a true picker now, should anybody care to.
well, i would care about Chinese apples. if people freaked out at Alar, imagine what they'd do if they knew about China's industrial pollutionscape.
oh, here's another idea, trained chimpanzees. they'll work for bananas.
And once the illigals get amnesty and take advantage of your company's affirmative action program, who will do the work?
What is the China price on apples?
Why not import fruits and vegetables? There is more than the direct cost to the US farmer. The schools, the medical care, the strain on the penal system etc.
I am talking specifically about the Lansing job market, and you are wrong.
WTF Cantaloupes have gone from .59 each on sale to lucky if you can find em for <$2.00 each in the last 2 years... So, find some natives and pay them a 400% increase in price certainly means you should be able to find someone not here illegally able to do the job.
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