Hiring illegals an unfair advantage

By J.J. Huggins and Jordana Timerman


Some local laborers say they are facing a growing threat from competitors who hire illegal immigrants and pay them less to work.

"When I was growing up, I thought, I have my hands, they can't export my job," said Brian Cote, the president of the Leominster-based sub-contracting firm, Red Line Wall Systems. "Well they didn't export it overseas, they just brought people here to do the work."

Cote, 49, of Fitchburg hasn't lost his job to any illegal immigrants, in fact he says his drywall business is successful.

But he is concerned about the younger generation of Americans, who won't go to college and will need to find unskilled labor jobs.

Many local contractors hire illegal immigrants and pay them less than they would pay American citizens, and offer no health benefits, Cote said.

Cote thinks he has lost some contracts to competitors that can afford to offer lower bids because they pay their workers less.

"It's a tough market to be in," he said. "Do I think we lose jobs? Yeah, of course."

Cote's firm employs about 65 workers.

"I could hire illegals and still have my job," Cote said. "I could give you a list of ten different companies that hire (illegal immigrants). In our business, the dry-wall business, it's pretty rampant."

Playing by the rules

He insists he hires only American citizens and documented immigrants because "it's morally the right thing to do."

"I'll be honest with you, I make a lot of money. I pay my taxes and I play by the rules," he said. "That's what my partners and I were brought up to do. Most of the people who hire us like us because we're legit."

Cote hires many young men in their late teens.

The typical starting wage at his company is between $12 and $13 an hour.

The workers get full benefits after they complete their 90-day probationary period, along with a week of vacation, paid holidays and 401K, Cote said.

"It's hard work, but it's not bad for a guy who never finished high school," he said.

Some seasoned workers at his company make around $70,000 and $80,000 per year, Cote said.

Some of Cote's employees have their families on their health plans, which costs Cote about $840 per month for each worker.

But one Fitchburg contractor -- who asked to remain anonymous because he fears legal repercussions -- acknowledges using illegal immigrants.

"The cost of doing a bathroom, for example, increases from $5,000 to $8,000," with legal employees he said.

The man, who is an illegal immigrant himself, used to work as a construction employee.

Employers frequently take advantage of Illegal workers, he said.

"They get paid $100 per day. The person knows he will go in at 7 a.m., but there is not a stipulated time of return," he said.

Work days can stretch up to 13 hours, he said, citing experiences with street paving.

Illegal immigrants give potential employers false Social Security numbers, the contractor said.

Tough to verify?

Although employers are notified the number is fake, they ignore the notice, the contractor said.

It is impossible for employers to immediately differentiate between illegal and legal immigrants, explained another Fitchburg contractor, Julio Leon.

"Most employers ask employees for a document. How could I know if it's real or not? There is no way to verify," he said.

As a result, Leon said there is little, if any, difference in wages paid to legal and illegal workers, when employers don't know their employees' immigration status.

Cote unknowingly hired four illegal immigrants -- two Mexicans, one Haitian and one African -- over the course of a year and a half, he said.

The workers presented documents that appeared legitimate, but the federal government eventually contacted him and told him their Social Security numbers were fake, Cote said.

Once Cote notified the workers, they stopped coming to work.

"By the time you bring it up with that person, they just disappear," he said. "If I knew they were illegal when they walked in, I would have told them to get out of here."

http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/ci_3875557