500,000 Jobs Available in Arizona...as Mexican Migratory Workers Abandon Farms Fleeing SB 1070

I have an update I will be posting tomorrow actual video and a translation. Stay tuned.

They gave us back our jobs! DERKA DER!!!!

sounds like an excellent plan. dont need no stinkin guest citizenship program in mexico though. just like they do here we can cross illegally, might not get as warm a welcome as the ones comin here though. mexico has very strict immigration laws and you dont want to end up in a mexican prison if you know what i mean. wink wink

Twice now Congoboy says that I am doing a disservice to the readers saying that $200 a month is what people live on in Latin American Countries...so I am posting this rebuttal....

I will use Ecuador as an example because that is the country I am most familiar with. My family is from there.

In Ecuador the minimum wage is $240 per month. The average person not working for the government makes around $400 per month. Government workers who are clerical, accounting, lower ministry type jobs, public servants, make an average of $800 per month. Higher government officials in the Judiciary, Ministries, College professors, make on the average of $1200 per month.

Some government officials at the top...especially the Judiciary have given themselves raises that put them earning around $4000 per month and this has caused quite a backlash among the people...the president is trying to reign in their parade, but the Attorney General has proven a very formidable opponent and he has not been ousted.

President Correa wants to put the Judiciary salaries in check because they are way out of line...especially when you consider that most of their expenses are also paid...separately.

Now as far as expenses here is a sample budget for someone in my family who makes $600 per month:

$200 Mortgage payment on an Apartment that costs $45,000
$100 Utilities for Electricity, gas, water and garbage
$65 Telephone and Cable TV
$300 Food costs for a family of 4
$100 Tuition costs
$100 Transportation Costs

This monthly outlay doesn't include any cell phones, entertainment, or clothing.

The total is $865. The only thing that saves them every month is that their father...who lives here in the US and makes $1000 a month...sends them $300 per month. If he wasn't able to make that money here...they wouldn't be able to survive. The kids would have to drop out of University...but that would only save them $100.

Ecuador is on the dollar...their currency was trading at 25000 to 1 before they switched. My fathers best friend went there in the late 90's when it was like this and bought a 20 acre farm for $2000 and moved there because he could live like a millionaire as a retired doctor...he opened up an orphanage and a clinic and he married a new wife. He lives his name is Dr. King and he sure lives like one with his pension of $3000 a month.

To solve their economic crisis Ecuador closed all the banks for two weeks and people lost their life savings in the process. Little old ladies who had sold their houses for 2 Million of their currency and thought they were going to be able to live off the interest got $50K in dollars when the banks reopened in dollars. Whereas they had a home that covered an entire city block when they sold...the could scarcely buy a run down apartment for the $50K.

Luxury condos in town go for from $120K to $180K...a nice decent apartment less than 10 years old goes for around $60K to $100K.

The average new car price is around $12K and the interest rate they charge if you finance a car through a dealer is 24%.

Banks only pay 2% on savings.

When you look at this you will understand that in order for most families to survive...they have to have at least three wage earners and they have to maximize what they have. If they are lucky enough to own land they will usually build a 4 story building that has three apartments that can be rented out so that they can live...and if they are in a commercial zone...they will have store fronts to rent out on the first floor.

I hope that gives you a better appreciation of what the standard of living there for an average working class person or family...single people can scarcely survive there on Minimum Wage.

One of the biggest issues about this SB1070, and i have heard many police officers say this...that Latinos are not going to call the police when there is an emergency because of the fear that one of their family members might end up getting deported.

What people need to realize that there are many, many Latino families that have a mixture of Citizens, Naturalized Citizens, and Illegals...its quite common. Often times the so called illegals are in some kind of process to get legalized...but that process can take 10 years or more. So they wait it out and keep a low profile until they their turn comes up to be considered, heard, and present all their proofs. Lots of times, when someone gets arrested...the fact that they are in the process of getting their status changed is not taken into effect. They are illegal and that is that.

The biggest fear these people have is that their families are going to be ripped apart because of this law.

My question is this: instead of attacking the illegal immigrants who flee deplorable living conditions and militant drug cartels in Mexico, why is no one questioning the businesses that bring them in?

Yes, I get that if you're in this country, you should be here legally. However, many companies that hire illegal immigrants bring them in under false pretenses. In Tyson chicken factories, workers may toil in unsanitary conditions at subsistence wages for years under promises from managers that they and their family will achieve citizenship by doing so and the lack of a working knowledge of the English language can lead to murky contractual agreements, misleading promises, and broken dreams when the authorities find out.

Is it so hard to consider that at least some of these people are not the law-breaking monsters we imagine, but instead the victims of a borderline feudal agriculture system and an exploding global gap between the rich and poor?

regardless of the accuracy of the #'s...there can b no doubt as to the value of these "campesinos" period!

I know people (Hispanic) in Arizona and it is not only the illegals which are leaving or planning to leave the state several Latino business owners are also packing up and leaving. I dont know but I do know that Arizona will definitely feel the abscense, There is a pretty good and actually kinda funny it is called "A day Without a Mxican" I think it's on You Tube but im not sure.

I'd say that even if the "facts" of this story can be called into question, the fundamental notion that migrant workers subsidize our cheap foods remains unchallenged. It is backbreaking work. I've picked strawberries, but only for "fun" and I'm done after a couple hours and a few flats of berries. I suppose if I relied on that for my living, I'd do better. Nonetheless, migrant workers lower the real cost of much of our food. We are either going to have to pay more for food, or get off our high horse about the alleged damage these people do to our economy and society.

If people REALLY want something enough, they WILL pay what it REALLY costs.
As UNITED LABOR it is OUR job to help set that REAL cost.

Even if peppers cost as caviar,....there will still be some peppers,....for some who can afford them. ( Personally,...I would grow my own, fresher, stronger,. and hell, they are YOURS. Worth some points )

Remember,......WE who pick the peppers want to be the piper that calls the tune, and gives the feudal lords some pipe to SUCK.

Now, having been born and raised here in Arizona (43 yrs) first of all, I have to say, that pic just doesn't look like any place here in Arizona that I can think of. Strange enough, this article doesn't include where this "farmer" is located in Arizona either.

It also says "Arizona Farmers" so I'm wondering what farmers are they talking about? Here in the southwest part of Arizona we are the lettuce capital of the world. We also do a fair amount of spinach, cauliflower and other vegetables during the winter. The farmers here bus people from Mexico to the fields then back to their homes. There are plenty of workers who live here locally as well.

500,000 illegal immigrants gone. Remarkable amount of people leaving Arizona even before the law is enforced. I don't believe it for one minute. Where are they getting this information?

Back in the late 80's I was a cashier for a local grocery store and on paydays the field workers would come in the store to cash their paychecks. Even THEN their bi-weekly paychecks were $500.00 or more, and that is over 20 years ago. I was amazed at how much they got paid. While I earned $5.00 an hour, which was good money then, they were earning more, tho I have to admit they work many more hours.

You should see the brand new trucks and car field workers drive. I should be so lucky to buy a used one!

So, again, I don't believe this article for one bit. It's a bit far fetched.

This is my deal----12$ an hour,....for 6 hr days ( not 10,....hell you can do this in shifts ) and I will make it to Arizona. And I wont do it without workmans comp because some idiot DAMN WELL MIGHT run over me with a tractor!

The land owner has NO INNATE RIGHT to any certain profit level,....or even to be in any particular business. Tough breaks. Business does not have a " RIGHT " to serf/peasant/disposable/expendable "not quite a citizen so not-quite-human" employees used as cogs in their fucking agricultural machine.

was peter piper a mexican?

So does this mean that Arizona will be the first state to achieve 100% employment? Go Arizona. It was those Mexicans that caused our unemployment problems all along. Hope to see Sarah Palin out in them fields next week. And for congoboy below. You got it all wrong. We need to work in Arizona then sneak into Mexico where we can live on the cheap? Maybe Mexico can be urged to set up a guest citizenship program for Americans. Sounds like a plan that even Sarah can get behind.

telemundo is just an outlet for the mexican government. sorta like cnn is here

even though $200 a month is a pittance by most standards you do a disservice to the reader by failing to mention the cost of living in those country's is much lower than the u.s. in most latin country's the majority of people dont own cars and those that do most likely dont insure them. depending on how socialistic they are utilities may be government run and provided. so even though $200 seems like and is little compared to u.s. standards it is a living wage in many of these country's. also with a strong faith in catholicism and strong family bonds these people are more inclined to help each other out, unlike people in the u.s. in many ways the latin culture, with their faith in god, their strong family ties and values are in better shape than many north americans. would they like to make better money and increase their standard of living? who the fuck wouldnt? are we obligated to provide them with what they seek? other than minimum wage for honest work, fuck no. do we owe them health or medical care? fuck no. do we owe them an easy path to citizenship? fuck no. should we be sympathetic or empathetic to their plight? fuck yes, create guest worker programs, document the workers and allow them to work here according to our laws.

So Arizona's laws against illegal immigration will result in the death of their agricultural industry.

They made a choice- now let's see if they stick to their guns and ruin their economy, or grow a pair and say "oops, we made a mistake! Come back Mexicans, we will help you file the paperwork now!"

can we please get a punitive fine against anyone who employs (exploits) illegals?

pure unadulterated right wing bullshit... ( cries ) we cant afford to pay citizens a living wage so we'll just have to employ illegals... what a fucking crock of shit. i picked grapes as a kid and sold lemonade on the side. farmers aren't hurting for money, they are just living in a different century than we are.

@im1mjrpain . so besides ignorant you don`t know how to count ? if you get paid 2 dollars by the hour and you work 8 you make 16 dollars if you make one bushel every 2 hours in 8 hours you make 8 dollars
also if are illegally working and have an accident .... forget about the patron paying for any help they don`t even have drinking watter ...
so for all those red necks with guns in the border doing what they call " saving america from the wet backs " are gonna have to star pay a lot more money if they want pepper in their dinner table
i hope you don`t like pepper otherwise you are gonna have to paid a lot from now on

the messenger

So if I work an 8 hour shift I'll gross $4 per day. The difference is if you are working illegally you don't have to worry about taxes knocking your $4 dollars to about $2.50 per day.

The interviewer is a racist pig. Interesting how the first question out of the interviewers mouth wasn't, "How many white people applied for the job to pick these peppers?' Of course the first thing that comes to his mind is Blacks and brown Mexicans. There are plenty of white people that work in tobacco fields (dangerous and back breaking work)

The farmer is right, no blacks apply for that job, because no legal citizens of this country is going to do that kind of fork for pauper wages. They're not even pauper wages. $1.00 an hour? Are you kidding me? Why pay them anything? And have you seen the price of peppers in the stores? They cost $1.00 to $2.00 each. I guess I'm missing something here.

And gee, why don't they pay a living wage? How is it legal for them to pay a $1.00 an hour for that work? Isn't the minimum wage at least $7.25/hr

The peppers will end up being destroyed (tilled back into the soil) The farmer wouldn't dare think of giving them away, even though he can't sell them. He should just open the farm to the public and let people pick peppers for $3.00 a bushel. Gee, what a concept.

GO Unions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

diabolical44 you are an idiot! None of the farmers make millions and billions of dollars for hiring illegals. they are barely ably to make a profit. Why don't you get off your lazy ass, stop living with mom and pick vegetables!

a monsanto executive is gonna be pissed when he hears this...

thank god they are leaving. now if those big corporate farmers decide to pay a living wage to their workers maybe they'll find some help. maybe cut into their millions in profits . there is a big lie out there . a myth that most farms are poor mom and pop farmers just making it by. sure there are a handful of those. but nearly all of the farming in america nowadays is corporate owned with executives making billions and profits through the roof. Its time we start making these jobs well paid.

The Unites States does not need anything from the rest of the world. Stop import dependence. Stop foreign workers from entering our economy without a four year degree recognized by the United States Government as accredited. All immigrants have to go through channels. Foreigners are banned for life from entering the country if they attempt to enter illegally
This would end the trade imbalance.

I'm trying to grow my own. I've been shouting at the sprouts for a while now. I'm not sure it's working. . .

this article is bull no one will work for 1$ an hour and you can pick a hole lot more chile than that in an hour.i live in new mexico in the farm fields an these guys will pick 20 sacks 50 pound sacks a day.but you arnt going to get lazy americans off the couch not when they can collect welfare disability and every
other free be.i am sorry i have a lot of respect for hard working mexicans and know a lot of them.americans have become the lazyest in the world and i am not saying all americans but what is the ratio does anyone know how many collect welfare and disiability?

I'm gonna get flamed for this, but..... Minimum wage laws should be repealed.

Here is how Hans F. Sennholz(1922-2007) said it,

"Good intentions, when guided by error and ignorance, may have undesirable consequences. There is no better example than minimum wage legislation.

It means to raise the wages and improve the living conditions of poor workers but actually condemns many to chronic unemployment. It forcefully raises the costs of unskilled and inexperienced labor and thereby lifts it right out of the labor market. Yet, many politicians who neither own nor manage a business and do not employ such labor never tire of lamenting and deploring low wages and promising to raise the wage minimum by law and regulation.

No employer can overlook the mandated fringe benefits which he is forced to pay above the minimum. There are employer Social Security taxes, unemployment and workers' compensation levies, and paid holidays.

In some industries the workers' compensation levy alone may amount to more than one-half of the wages paid. And if the employer should carry his workers' health insurance costs, employment costs may be double the minimum rate. If eager members of Congress should be successful in raising the minimum by two or three dollars an hour, many young people may be condemned to permanent unemployment.

The rate of unemployment tends to be directly proportional to the excess of labor costs over productivity. In many European countries with official minimum wages of more than $10 an hour, the rate of unemployment is measured in double-digit rates although governments spend massive amounts on make-work projects. Some victims readily submit to their fate and endure a life of idleness and bare subsistence. Many learn to labor in black markets where goods are produced and services are rendered in violation of minimum wage edicts and other regulations and controls. But most victims are young people with little training and know-how who tend to react angrily and violently. Their rate of unemployment actually amounts to multiples of the official rate. And if society should be divided ethnically, youth training and productivity may be lower yet and its rate of unemployment may approach 100 percent. Such a labor situation is laden with anger and fury which not only breeds high crime rates but also, at any time, may turn to violence by mobs of unemployed youth. The recent riots of French youth clearly resembled the riots of unemployed Americans in Watts in 1965, in San Francisco in 1966, Detroit and Baltimore in 1967, Chicago and Cleveland in 1968, and in Los Angeles in 1992.

The situation is most dangerous and explosive in cities and states with state minimums even higher than those set by the Federal government. Minimum wage legislation had its beginning in states long before there was a New Deal that made the Federal government the primary labor legislator and regulator. State governments continue to lead the way in raising labor costs; state rates of unemployment tend to indicate the political strength of the minimum wage movement.

Few economists have the courage to point to labor legislation and regulation as the very cause of mass unemployment. A few who muster the courage may emphasize the infinite demand for labor but are ever mindful that its costs set limits to the demand. Few employers, if any, knowingly buy labor that costs more than it produces, just as few workers are likely to purchase consumer goods which, in their judgment, cost more than they are worth. Yet, economists who dare to point to labor legislation and regulation as important causes of mass unemployment are criticized, denounced, condemned, and vilified as callous and ruthless agents and spokesmen of greedy employers..."

"...To alleviate minimum-wage unemployment is to restore freedom in the labor market; it would permit the cost of labor to readjust to labor productivity and offer employment to every young man and woman willing and ready to work. A free labor market would welcome young people, which not only would exhort and restore the spirit of work but also improve labor skill and know-how. The labor productivity of American youth soon would rise and exceed the ominous minimum levels that presently condemn millions to idleness. Freedom has a thousand charms even in the labor market."