Title says: Companies lay off thousands, then demand immigration reform for new labor

I thought I would post this article for those who are concerned about the American work force and the erosion of the buying power for the middle class; inflation being a side issue.

Forget Obama care and the 29 hour work week which in my opinion should lower the official unemployment numbers (many will work two jobs) those who are trying to raise/support a family.... I fear 29 hours of employment will not provide the required funds to be what is called 'middle class' in america. Welfare may be the route of survival for many?

The officials represent companies with a vast array of business interests: General Electric, The Walt Disney Company, Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, McDonald's Corporation, The Wendy's Company, Coca-Cola, The Cheesecake Factory, Johnson & Johnson, Verizon Communications, Hewlett-Packard, General Mills, and many more. All want to see increases in immigration levels for low-skill as well as high-skill workers, in addition to a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants currently in the U.S. illegally.

Yet these very same companies have laid off thousands of workers....? See article for the numbers!

Of course, the U.S. unemployment rate is at 7.3 percent, with millions of American workers at all skill levels out of work, and millions more so discouraged that they have left the work force altogether. In addition, at the same time the corporate officers seek higher numbers of immigrants, both low-skill and high-skill, many of their companies are laying off thousands of workers.

Stop and think for a moment what that is saying..

washingtonexaminer.com...

"It is difficult to understand how these companies can feel justified in demanding the importation of cheap labor with a straight face at a time when tens of millions of Americans are unemployed," writes the Center for Immigration Studies, which strongly opposes the Senate Gang of Eight bill and similar measures. "The companies claim the bill is an 'opportunity to level the playing field for U.S. employers' but it is more of an effort to level the wages of American citizens."

It is true without companies there is no workforce...The description and pay of said work force and some of the reasons for the new Immigration Bill is what we should consider when considering all the considerations for the push to get something into law...'consider' I seem to like that word today?...

Imo a large percentage of the push is simply about money for the Corporations and screw everyone else...I am retired and do not have a dog in this fight.. All my kids are doing very well however I do care about America and it's people's standard of living.. Read the article and see what you think....

I'm not entirely sure I get how the Immigration bill will produce cheap labor for business? The ones willing to work cheap now, here or abroad, won't be when they have the right to demand fair wages and you can bet they will. The illegals working cheap and making it happen right now, once legal, are no better to the business than hiring an American right now. They can then demand the same wages...business will seek the next wave of illegals to exploit, to maintain margins. Unemployment won't look pretty when millions of new legal workers come into the light ..just in time to be downsized and/or simply not asked back the next season.

I read the article, of course, and I've seen these arguments elsewhere, making the same point. I just don't see how it actually happens.

Disney though... Now they are one where I CAN understand it. In Florida alone, Epcot likely has a few thousand foreign nationals, since each "Country" area is staffed entirely by people on short term work visas. They also give internships in graphics that I know for sure out of Orlando somewhere. That's open abroad as well as domestically, I THINK. (The internships). Disney is likely working better terms for that sort of thing. That, and their studios with talent from all over. They kinda make sense..

General industry and the majority of work though? What can someone from other nations do better than an American can on an individual comparison basis? I'd think of that as equal until weighing the individuals, eh?

reply to post by wrabbit2000


Thanks for the reply.... The deal with the article, which captured my attention, were the companies who did large numbered lay-offs yet are clambering and trying to expedite the immigration bill, as if we needed more low wage workers...?