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  1. #1
    Senior Member zeezil's Avatar
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    Business owner says illegal immigration costing local jobs

    Business owner says illegal immigration costing local jobs
    Sunday, July 20, 2008 12:23 AM


    Ron Wetzler is concerned that illegal immigrants are causing his drywall business to lose work to companies that imploy the immigrants. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, Salisbury Post
    By Mark Wineka


    Ron Wetzler is concerned that illegal immigrants are causing his drywall business to lose work to companies that imploy the immigrants. photo by Wayne Hinshaw, Salisbury Post

    mwineka@salisburypost.com

    Ron Wetzler has had enough.

    The owner of Olympic Drywall and Texturing in Rowan County, NC says he's losing out on jobs awarded instead to subcontractors who employ illegal immigrants, mostly Mexicans.

    It's happening on both commercial and residential construction projects in Rowan County, Wetzler claims.

    He doesn't have proof as to which workers are illegal. The way it works, he says, is usually the subcontractor himself is a legal resident, who then pays his crews — most of whom are here illegally — in cash.

    Wetzler says the Hispanic workers' wages are low — maybe $50 a day. No one's paying workers' compensation or liability insurance, and the government is seeing nothing in taxes. It all combines to make it hard for companies such as his to compete.

    "They're so far under us in cost," Wetzler says.

    He recently reported his suspicions about one job site to the Rowan County Sheriff's Office, which told him to take the matter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    While local sheriff's offices, including Rowan, have stepped up their identification and deportation of illegal immigrants who commit crimes, the emphasis has been just that — illegal immigrants who end up arrested and in county jails.

    The N.C. Department of Labor has no program in place to which citizens can report their suspicions about illegal immigrants on job sites. Those calls also are referred to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's tip line, which for now is about the only recourse Wetzler and others like him have.

    The federal tip line number is 1-866-DHS-2ICE.

    Nina Pruneda, an ICE public affairs officer in Atlanta, said each complaint is taken seriously, though investigations have to be prioritized, with national security concerns given immediate attention.

    If a job site under suspicion involves critical infrastructure such as airports, train stations, courthouses and military installations, "obviously that would send up a flag," Pruneda says.

    "Developing sufficient evidence against employers requires complex, white-collar crime investigations that can take years to bear fruit," the ICE says on its Web site. (See the accompanying story on how ICE approaches worksite enforcement.)

    In 2005, an estimated 111,630 Hispanics worked in construction in North Carolina — a number approaching half the industry's workforce.

    A 2004 study by Dr. James H. Johnson Jr., a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor, said if the Hispanic contributions were withdrawn, the state would lose $10 billion value in construction, $2.7 billion in materials and labor and $145 million in equipment and building rentals.

    The value of North Carolina construction work would have been cut by 29 percent, Johnson said.

    Mac Butner, executive officer of the Salisbury-Rowan Home Builders Association, says he hears complaints such as Wetzler's 12 to 15 times a year.

    "We think the laws of the United States ought to be enforced as far as immigration," Butner says. "If that person is using illegal workers, it needs to be pursued and prosecuted according to the law on the books."

    Butner said sometimes complaints about the use of immigrants on job sites are made by businessmen who aren't being competitive in other ways, so they blame "illegals." But the underlying dilemma always is figuring out who is illegal and who isn't, he says, and the home builders organization can't be a policing agency.

    Ron Woodard, director of NC Listen, an immigration reform organization based in Cary, said he also hears complaints about the loss of jobs to employers using illegal aliens as workers.

    "Construction is probably the worst," he says. "That and landscaping is where we hear about it the most."

    Woodard says employers in North Carolina should use the federal E-Verify system to check the legal residency status of their workers. (See accompanying story.)

    Contractors who get jobs because they employ illegals are essentially cheating to win that bid, Woodard says. "And quite frankly, it's un-American," he adds. "... We have a lot of Americans suffering due to a system that's out of control."

    Tony Asion, executive director of El Pueblo Inc., a non-profit advocacy group dedicated to strengthening the Latino community and promoting cross-cultural understanding, says for every job a Latino person occupies, he creates two others.

    If one looks at the growth in undocumented workers in North Carolina and compares it to an unemployment rate that has stayed the same or declined, "are they really taking away jobs?" Asion asks.

    Mai Thi Nguyen, an assistant UNC-Chapel Hill professor and a GlaxoSmithKline faculty fellow with the Institute of Emerging Issues, said in a May report that illegals migrate to areas with labor shortages, thereby filling jobs that are open and not displacing American workers.

    "For example," she said, "in the construction industry illegal immigrants might make it more difficult for high school drop-outs to get a construction job, but their labor in the construction industry also sparks growth in the real estate industry, creating jobs for real estate agents, mortgage brokers, loan officers, insurance agents and real estate lawyers."

    Johnny Breedlove, another drywall contractor in Rowan County, says if it hadn't been for Hispanics, the country would not have grown as much as it has. But Breedlove also gave an example of how he had to lower his price to compete with a Charlotte firm he suspected of using illegal immigrants.

    Breedlove won the contract, but ended up without a profit because, "you can't take money away from the guys who work for you," he says.

    Wetzler, in the drywall business for almost 40 years, said that while he would normally charge $23 a sheet, he now finds himself bidding against a company using illegals that charges $13.75 a board.

    So he's dropping his price in times when he should probably be going up because of rising fuel prices. It's affecting all trades — tile, vinyl, brick, roofing and others, Wetzler says, adding "Our jobs are at risk every day."

    Wetzler hears routinely from local residents with experience in construction begging for work that's not available. "There's nothing I can do to help them, he says. "I wish I could."

    Wetzler promises he will be updating his Web site, www.olympicdrywallco.com on this immigration issue and invites others to voice their opinions by e-mails to takebackrowan@aol.com.

    The contractor has met with Rowan County Commissioners Jim Sides and Tina Hall and recommended that the county set up a licensing program. It would require all contractors to show their workers compensation documents on each employee, give proof of their employment through pay stubs and allow building inspectors the right to ask questions and check documents on job sites.

    It would levy heavy fines, such as $10,000 per violation, for contractors with undocumented workers. "See how fast our Rowan County workers get back to work," Wetzler says.
    http://www.salisburypost.com/Area/07200 ... 9T20-34-27
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  2. #2
    Senior Member concernedmother's Avatar
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    imploy the immigrants
    Don't these people check their spelling before posting online? I've seen so many major grammar and spelling errors in print lately! To clarify for the comments that follow, the spelling error is in the original story. The journalist and editors missed it! I've noticed a trend of this lately, and I just felt compelled to comment. Sorry for the confusion, guys! I'll shut up.
    <div>"True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else."
    - Clarence Darrow</div>

  3. #3
    Senior Member LuvMyCountry's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by concernedmother
    imploy the immigrants
    Don't these people check their spelling before posting online? I've seen so many major grammar and spelling errors in print lately!
    To be honest with you, I dont spell worth beans and my spellcheck is a pain to use. Should I not post then?

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    Senior Member tencz57's Avatar
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    So sorry i am . But Congress doesn't care about you or me . Only a smooth transition to the NAU. My whole neighborhood was built with Illegals . From drywall to paint to concrete and roofing . I didn't save a dime . Just as expensive as a home in central fl has always been . And they , the builder was very well protected.
    This whole damn Illegal mess is for Greed for the Elites and the local power mongers .
    Your Drywall business will go belly-up just as "Loneprotesters" roofing business when up , broke ! You can't compete .
    Still i don't understand people voting for the two majors
    They are all traitors and lier's . Big Brother is watching you . Who's watching Big Brother ? Big Brother is
    Nam vet 1967/1970 Skull & Bones can KMA .Bless our Brothers that gave their all ..It also gives me the right to Vote for Chuck Baldwin 2008 POTUS . NOW or never*
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  5. #5
    Senior Member zeezil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by concernedmother
    imploy the immigrants
    Don't these people check their spelling before posting online? I've seen so many major grammar and spelling errors in print lately!
    This issue has come up before and it was resolved as don't criticize each other including someone's spelling mistakes. We are all united under one cause and petty criticisms distract and divide. Besides, we all have our foibles.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  6. #6
    Senior Member tencz57's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LuvMyCountry
    Quote Originally Posted by concernedmother
    imploy the immigrants
    Don't these people check their spelling before posting online? I've seen so many major grammar and spelling errors in print lately!
    To be honest with you, I dont spell worth beans and my spellcheck is a pain to use. Should I not post then?
    This is not English Comp 101 . Please continue to post . Errors are devine in the eyes of the Lord Jesus . Whoa !
    We need you as an American and a Patriot . Input is important from all people .
    ps: I'm a bad speller and a worst typest . They put up with me SOoooo
    Nam vet 1967/1970 Skull & Bones can KMA .Bless our Brothers that gave their all ..It also gives me the right to Vote for Chuck Baldwin 2008 POTUS . NOW or never*
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  7. #7
    Senior Member concernedmother's Avatar
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    It's not the poster. It's the original article; I went and checked before I posted. Sorry for any confusion. I just have noticed a trend lately that the media either can't spell or just doesn't care enough to make sure it's right.
    <div>"True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else."
    - Clarence Darrow</div>

  8. #8
    Senior Member SicNTiredInSoCal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by zeezil
    Quote Originally Posted by concernedmother
    imploy the immigrants
    Don't these people check their spelling before posting online? I've seen so many major grammar and spelling errors in print lately!
    This issue has come up before and it was resolved as don't criticize each other including someone's spelling mistakes. We are all united under one cause and petty criticisms distract and divide. Besides, we all have our foibles.
    LOL...yeah, leave the "spelling error criticizing" to the goons over at the fake alipac. They have nothing better to do over there.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  9. #9
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    It's outrageous this guy has little recourse to address his suspicions! the local police really don't care. ICE says they take all complaints seriously, but indicate those reports than involve national security will take precedence over matters such as his (as they probably should I suppose). I guess our government would allocate more funding to ICE if they really wanted to help Americans like Ron Wetzler.

    What's this guy supposed to do? Stand by and watch his business be destroyed by illegal invaders! It's a sad reminder of where we are today as a nation with this issue, when our government would allow an American citizen who has played by the rules, to lose his business to those who use illegal invader labor.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  10. #10
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    Re: the spelling issue in the article.

    It's one thing when a poster on a forum mangles a word or two, but quite another when someone in the writing/editing field messes up. They are getting paid to write for a living and accordingly, a higher standard applies.
    (so, in a nutshell to LuvMyCountry - don't worry about it )
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

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