The line of applicants hoping to fill jobs vacated by undocumented workers taken away by immigration agents at the Swift & Co. meat-processing plant earlier this week was out the door Thursday.
So begins an article in the Rocky Mountain News about the aftermath of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on the company which had employed a large number of illegal foreign workers, including hundreds in one Colorado plant.
There is nothing glamorous about meat-processing jobs. By the same token, there is nothing demeaning or undignified about honest work. The applicants, whether citizens or legal resident aliens, who are waiting in line to grab the newly available jobs understand that. I'm glad they have an opportunity they wouldn't have had otherwise. They shouldn't have to compete for it against someone who has broken the law to be here.
Technorati Tags: illegal immigration
2 comments:
I had the same reaction to this story. I think what happens is that some workplaces reach a critical mass of illegals (with phony documents) and Amerocan citizens become unwilling to work there. Additionally, as is natural, new employees are probably recruited from the families / friends of the existing employees. I would like to see a longitudinal study of a plant to see how the transformation occurs. I would expect a critical turning point comes when the plant manager decides he needs a foreman who can speak Spanish.
Watch for the next wave, which will be what will happen to all of the day laborers as the housing / renovation / equity extraction boom ends. If there is no more work will they go home or stay?
Oh. Merry Christmas.
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