Faced with an urgent shortage of workers California farmers are desperate to be heard

a reply to: olaru12

Nice using hatred and the Bible in the same post.

a reply to: jimmyx

Bet ya can't prove any of that drivel.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: introvert

There is an equilibrium, they have not reached it yet.

I can agree with that.

originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: introvert

H1B1

Takes too long. We need a much better, faster process based on demand.

originally posted by: Butterfinger
Shouldn't have based your workforce on illegals if this is true. Serves them right for trying to profit off of cheap imported brown laborers.


Get American teens and homeless in the fields to learn a hard days work and a chance to be proud of it, at minimum wage.

woah, woah....how about those desperate coal miners back east, come out to California and get jobs, or the laid off workers in the rust belt......I guess it's only good enough for teens and the homeless, you know, those without any political power.....

originally posted by: introvert

originally posted by: Grambler

originally posted by: introvert
a reply to: seasonal

But when the market is supposed to kick up the $$$ it is ignored.

If you pay they will come.

It this particular industry, they have been "kicking up" the money.

The problem, as I stated in my post, there are a shortage of people to fill the positions.

Unemployment is at around 4.5%. Even if all of those people were to hired in just this industry alone, there would still not be enough people to fill the positions.

I would like to see proof for this claim.

There are a little less than 1 million people unemployed right now in california.

Are you really claiming that the wine industry needs more workers than that?

I did not say the wine industry. I said the foodservice industry as a whole. Not just California, either.

Suppose I should have been more specific and I admit I was being a bit hyperbolic.

Hey I have been no to be hyperbolic once in a while no problem.

But i still think that your point of so many jobs being available further makes the point for a need to reduce welfare.

We have a big pile of people not working, and as you say a huge amount of jobs available.

So why don't those people fill those jobs?

It seems to me the most loggical reason is that the are able to maintain a standard of life that is preferable to working these jobs.

If the government did not give them the resources to maintain that standard of life, they would take those jobs.

This would provide not only a benefit to these people that could get off of the government dole, but also help the food service industry that is desperate for workers.

a reply to: seasonal

And this is why farmers usually use illegals. They actually WANT to do the work.

a reply to: Grambler

So why don't those people fill those jobs?

They may not be suited to fill those jobs.

This would provide not only a benefit to these people that could get off of the government dole, but also help the food service industry that is desperate for workers.

The foodservice industry, whether it's the farm or at the table, is a tough industry to work in.

It's not as simple as pulling welfare and they will flock to those jobs.

a reply to: Grambler

1 + 1 =3
Take away the bene's and make them work. The money will not take them off welfare, the jobs do not pay enough.

originally posted by: jimmyx

originally posted by: Butterfinger
Shouldn't have based your workforce on illegals if this is true. Serves them right for trying to profit off of cheap imported brown laborers.


Get American teens and homeless in the fields to learn a hard days work and a chance to be proud of it, at minimum wage.

woah, woah....how about those desperate coal miners back east, come out to California and get jobs, or the laid off workers in the rust belt......I guess it's only good enough for teens and the homeless, you know, those without any political power.....

I wasnt excluding anyone friend, I just think theres a ton of entitled teens and mooches in Cali that are too good for such a job but are complacent with having brown people imported in to do it for them like so many Oompa Loompas.

Workforce initiative for job placement, move to Cali from afar and get in line; Cali teens arent going to do it unless forced, IMHO

a reply to: Krazysh0t

No the farmers use illegals because they have no worker rights-can be fired and worked with no obligation.

Oh and they use them because they are cheap.....

a reply to: seasonal

Taking people off of benefits isn't going to make people get to work. It's just going to cause families to starve and suffer needlessly.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: Grambler

1 + 1 =3
Take away the bene's and make them work. The money will not take them off welfare, the jobs do not pay enough.

We should also note, that a large percentage of people in the US are on some sort of assistance even though they still work. You are correct that in most cases, the jobs do not pay enough.

Dropping welfare is not a solution.

a reply to: Butterfinger

If the farmers were paying $25 an hour and full bene's they would have no shortage.

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: olaru12

Nice using hatred and the Bible in the same post.

I still have the family farm in Texas, cotton and onions, fully automated and leased to a corporation.

I know how Mexicans are treated that work the low paid jobs.

It's a brave new world!

originally posted by: seasonal
a reply to: Krazysh0t

No the farmers use illegals because they have no worker rights-can be fired and worked with no obligation.

Oh and they use them because they are cheap.....

Well then MAYBE we should work towards legalizing them. They want to do the work and are hard workers. So we should legalize them and give them federal protections. If these farms are willing to pay up to $22 an hour to do the work then wages are clearly not the issue. So legalize the illegals who want to do the work and let them do it. Alabama already knew this was the case.

a reply to: introvert

Firstly, we are not talking about a 60 something farmer on a 1948 Farmal tractor looking over his 60 acres of carrots-these are huge corps looking to exploit the workers and tax payers.

I think getting a handle on how much a tomato costs is the solution.

The farmer wants illegals because the true costs is pushed onto the tax payer.

I prefer to have an honest price at the store as apposed to the fake price we see now.

a reply to: olaru12

It is not new. The wealthy are exploiting the poor. This is why unions and trade groups formed.

originally posted by: xuenchen
a reply to: jimmyx

Bet ya can't prove any of that drivel.

the information is publically available in agricultural reports, California farm bureau, voting data of agricultural congressional districts, etc....see for yourself

a reply to: Krazysh0t

You think the average field worker is offered $22 an hour? The people who pick the tomato on your hamburger get paid 2 cents a pound.