Thread: Greedy builders keep illegal immigrants on job

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/su ... 831706.htm

Posted on Fri, Jun. 16, 2006

STOP WORK AND THEY'LL STOP COMING
Greedy builders keep illegal immigrants on job

By Elizabeth Johnston


I am sick over the whole immigration ordeal. I have written our congressman [Republican U.S. Rep. Henry Brown] and received a generic letter in return that didn't even touch on the subject I wrote to him about. Then I called Washington, D.C., and was told the congressman is aware of the problem I wrote about, like it's nothing.

We have large construction companies in Horry County that will hire one green card holder; he will have two to four illegal aliens working under him.

This green card holder is not a subcontractor; he is employed by the construction company. He gets paid by the construction company, and gets paid well. When he cashes his paycheck, he pays his "crew" from the check he receives from that company.

When I hear that illegal aliens are doing jobs Americans won't do, it makes me sick. Americans will do many of these jobs, but not as "ghost workers" dependent on the crew chief for cash at the end of the week.

What has happened to our laws? How about fining businesses for hiring personnel without the proper identification? How about a fine so severe that the company would not want to be caught using these practices? Why not have a hot line in each state for people to call if a company is hiring illegally? Why not have a task force available to investigate companies with questionable hiring practices?

If you put a stop to the jobs, the illegal aliens will stop coming. The root of the problem is that large companies have found cheap labor that cannot complain, and they are not going to stop hiring the illegal aliens unless they are forced to.

These large companies are getting three to five employees for the price of one who is well-paid. Companies that do not engage in such practices cannot compete. As a result, hardworking legal residents are finding it harder and harder to obtain work.

The only winner I see is the large construction companies whose owners already have exorbitant incomes.


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The writer lives in Aynor.

These large companies are getting three to five employees for the price of one who is well-paid. Companies that do not engage in such practices cannot compete. As a result, hardworking legal residents are finding it harder and harder to obtain work.

The other thing I've noticed is the quality of the cheap labor. The area I live in used to be all cornfields and small farms. Now, it is one massive maze of subdivisions....one right after the other. On the surface many look pretty expensive and quite nice. But I went to garage sales yesterday. Some of these places aren't even 3yrs. old and are already falling apart. I was shocked. Windows popping out of the frames. Trims chipping and fading etc. Gaps in the door frames because they weren't fit properly. They don't stand a chance selling these places for the going rate around here. Plus....so many of these places these people were having to move from. Couldn't afford it anymore. The new slums.

My parents built this home originally. But it was distroyed by a tornado. This house right now......re-built for 10x's more and much cheaper materials is a joke. I tried to put up a flag holder by my front door. It's HOLLOW!!!!! Were talking 3 inches from the edge of a corner and there is nothing there!!!! There's gaps along the floor. Granted you don't see it because the carpet sort of fills it in. But you can feel the draft when the wind blows! I hit the door frame moving furniture. The side of the door frame isn't even attached to the wall!!! It's suspended from the top! The nails hammered in went to no-where. My parents had no need to close or lock the door so I'm sure they never noticed. The house, inside was just painted with a primer. No paint. Half the drywall was never taped and finished....but you wouldn't notice it at first inspection. All the outlets that are hidden by an appliance have no covers. Wouldn't be a big deal if my parents weren't charged and paid for it!! It's just cheap all the way around but they PAID top dollar for it! Granted all isn't due to illegals. But any contractor that hires them isn't on the up and up either.

Building contractors are ripping home buyers all over the country. In ways that the average home owner does not know. The normal builder/developer in south Florida is an expert in shoddy construction these days. Very much of it is the result of unskilled illegal labor.
The builders are making out like bandits using unskilled construction labor and camoflaging the flaws.
As more and more American construction tradesmen are forced out of the industry, buyers will continue to pay more for less.

When I hear that illegal aliens are doing jobs Americans won't do, it makes me sick. Americans will do many of these jobs, but not as "ghost workers" dependent on the crew chief for cash at the end of the week.

Yea, a W-4 to sign and not some shody 1099 for guys who are not contractors, they're just employees. Employees are now not paying half of their SS, they are paying all of it. If an employee has signed a 1099, chances are that the contractor does not carry Workman's comp insurance either. And the price of the house still isn't any cheaper, like they all like to claim. BS! Send them all to jail.

wep561, was a carpenter in SFLA for 20 years before being forced out due to low wages.

Originally Posted by Rockfish

wep561, was a carpenter in SFLA for 20 years before being forced out due to low wages.

Rockfish, there are very few Americans left in construction here. The Mexicans have pretty much taken over. The builders get richer, the construction is half assed at best, Americans are forced out of work and the consumer pays more and more. A very discusting situation that sometimes makes me not so proud to be an American anymore.