Thread: Illegal workers get no sympathy from local tradesmen

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... =19326&z=3

LEE COUNTY: There is some backlash after 25 illegal workers were busted by federal agents at the construction site of the new Lee County Jail. The story has provoked strong reactions from many of our viewers. But we found one man who has, perhaps, the most to be angry about.

Steve Iorio is not too sympathetic to those 25 illegal workers that are now out of a job. He’s been out of work for eight months.

"They're taking our jobs, and it's just - it's tough. You have to end up doing what you have to do to get by," said Iorio.

For Iorio, he has had to take a job at K-mart, just to make ends meet.

"It seems like it's us, skilled carpenters and tradesmen, against them. And, you know, we just can't compete," he said.

Friday’s raid at the new Lee County Jail site has Iorio fuming. He says while he and scores of other skilled construction workers sit without work, some contractors choose the cheaper, illegal alternative.

"You're fighting for work and there are so many guys who are skilled," said Iorio. "And we can't get our hands on any because the cheaper laborers are coming in and undercutting us."

And it’s not just those out of work who are frustrated. Contractors fighting for projects say the companies hiring illegals can often underbid them.

"Maybe not all of their people are properly insured and licensed. How else can they bid so low?" asked Scott Hertz of Powell Construction.

Workers with Powell Construction, which had nothing to do with the raid at the jail, say general contractors play a game of trust. When they hire subcontractors, they collect loads of licensing and paperwork, but don't have access to subcontractors’ employee records.

"You get into privacy regulations, people's social security numbers. There's not really any method to check that," said Hertz.

Iorio believes the answer lies in tougher fines for contractors who do get caught.

"They just turn a blind eye to it because it just affects their bottom line," said Iorio. "You can pay one person ‘X’ amount of dollars or you can have three for the same price."

The raid now has Lee County leaders questioning if illegals are working on other county projects.

The county says every general contractor it does business with signs a contract promising not to hire illegals. But the county says it does not have the time and resources to check employee status at every job site.

I watch Blue Bird bus after bus go past my subdivision carrying Illegal Aliens to construction sites...... you people have no idea how bad it is and how many Americans are pushed out of work into lower paying jobs like this man has

Personally, I think the illegal immigrant problem would mostly resolve itself if we started throwing employers in jail. The threat of jail, not small fines, would force employers to do the right thing!

AirborneSapper7 wrote:

I watch Blue Bird bus after bus go past my subdivision carrying Illegal Aliens

Out of curiosity, how do you know they're illegal aliens?

Now would be the perfect time for all the contractors that have been pushed off jobs by those hiring cheap illegal labor to make lots of noise. This incident has opened the can and got the media’s attention. Now we need to keep it open and get them to dig deeper and get the contractors fired up.

The county says every general contractor it does business with signs a contract promising not to hire illegals. But the county says it does not have the time and resources to check employee status at every job site.






Solving the problem of resources is a no brainer.

Contractors can be required to pay a fee offsetting the cost of the screening. They could, in turn, require their subs to post a sort of bond, all or part of which would be forefeited to the contractor if it's found that the subs are hiring illegals.

Believe me, if they want the work bad enough and are doing nothing wrong, they won't have a problem with this just as they have no problem with having to pay fees or post bonds regarding other things when they're awarded contracts.

There's always a way to find the time and resources and it's something which needs to be done.....otherwise, it doesn't take long for these companies to realize that they can pretty much do what they want with very little chance of getting caught.

azwreath wrote:

There's always a way to find the time and resources and it's something which needs to be done.....otherwise, it doesn't take long for these companies to realize that they can pretty much do what they want with very little chance of getting caught.

They need to be motivated, and like I eluded to earlier, I think jail would be a great motivator.

People who hire illegal aliens should have to pay a ridiculously high fine (per hire) like $100.000.00. And spend a year in jail.

This stuff would stop real quick.
As long as not much happens, it will continue.


Is this being too hard on those who take our jobs?

Originally Posted by MW

azwreath wrote:

There's always a way to find the time and resources and it's something which needs to be done.....otherwise, it doesn't take long for these companies to realize that they can pretty much do what they want with very little chance of getting caught.

They need to be motivated, and like I eluded to earlier, I think jail would be a great motivator.

LOL.....I tend to agree