Thread: Immigration backfire

Immigration backfire

OUR OPINION: State anti-immigrant measures harm their own economies

By The Miami Herald Editorial
HeraldEd@MiamiHerald.com

The latest news from the war-against-immigrants front: Hispanics in Alabama skipped work on Wednesday to protest the state’s toughest-in-the-nation immigration law, forcing at least six poultry plants to close down or scale back operations and hurting business across the state.

“I don’t think it’s going to be just today,â€

don't come & tell me the American are unwilling to the jobs
that BS tell the farms work for 5 dollar hr I don't think so
the American will out work any one of you that in the wh work for 5 dollar hr
I don't think so
don't say the American are unwilling to work
that all BS sure the farms' get the big buck
& the worker get S/// I pick on the farms so don't come ^ hand me that BS
good luck to alabama stand your ground
No amnesty

Hispanics skip work to protest Ala. immigration law By Jay Reeves
-
Wednesday, October 12, 2011


Jose Contreras and his wife, Nelva, discuss their reasons for closing their Hispanic store and restaurant (rear) in Albertville, Ala., on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011. (AP Photo/Dave Martin

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. (AP) — At least a half-dozen poultry plants shut down or scaled back operations Wednesday and many other businesses closed as Hispanics in Alabama skipped work to protest the state’s toughest-in-the-nation immigration law.

The work stoppage was aimed at demonstrating the economic contribution of Alabama’s Hispanic immigrants. It was unclear exactly how widespread the protests were, but a poultry company spokesman said officials were reporting unusually high absences at plants in northeast Alabama, where much of the state’s chicken industry is based.

In the northeast Alabama town of Albertville, numerous Hispanic-owned businesses along Main Street had the lights off and signs that said they wouldn’t be open. Mexican restaurants, a bank that caters to Hispanics, and small grocery stores and supermarkets were all shuttered.

Jose Contreras owns a restaurant and store on Main Street. He said he was losing about $2,500 in revenue by shutting down.

“We closed because we need to open the eyes of the people who are operating this state,â€

Please boycott your way back to Mexico, your "contribution" is crime, bankrupt states, overcrowded schools, hospital closings, stolen jobs and an effort to change our culture. You aren't "immigrants" you are criminal invaders. Good riddance!

Wayne farms had no problem closing to allow its' employees the day off to protest on "Immigrants Day" in 2006. that would be on May 1, the communist worker's day.

Day off for immigrants rally

Wayne Farms closing plant today to allow Hispanic employees to join protests

By Eric Fleischauer
DAILY Business Writer

Wayne Farms LLC is closing one of its three Decatur plants today to permit its approximately 590 Latino employees to take part in rallies advocating immigration reform.

As of Sunday night, the nearest organized rallies during a national immigration protest were to be in Huntsville. Reform advocates there expect as many as 5,000 to participate in a downtown march.

Wayne Farms spokesman Frank Singleton said the company began crystallizing its position on immigration reform about six weeks ago, when it became apparent that the issue soon would come to a head.

"We support immigration reform," Singleton said Sunday. "We've written letters and been to Capitol Hill on the subject and believe a guest-worker visa of some sort is a good solution."

Wayne Farms has two Alabama chicken plants that are predominantly Latino, the slaughter plants in Albertville and Decatur.

For both plants, Wayne let employees work Saturday so their absences today would not inhibit production. Singleton said the attendance Saturday was close to 100 percent.

"We tried to make sure that they knew we understand and support their position, but we have obligations to our customers," Singleton said. "We felt this was a good compromise."

Singleton said this is the first time he knew of that Wayne Farms has changed work schedules to facilitate employees' political advocacy efforts.

Wayne Farms' further-processing plants, recently built on Plugs Drive, have more stringent English-language requirements than does the slaughter plant, Singleton said, so fewer Latinos work there.

The fresh plant, on Ipsco Road, has 845 employees. Between 65 percent and 75 percent are Latinos.

"We support resolving this issue," Singleton said. "Resolution is in our best interest, and the best interest of our employees."

Immigration pilot program

Wayne Farms has been a participant in an Immigration and Naturalization Service pilot program for about six years, Singleton said, so it has few if any undocumented workers.

Singleton said Wayne Farms' position in support of a guest-worker visa program has earned it loyalty from its employees and from its host communities.

Even non-Latino employees appreciated the fact that they did not have to lose a day of wages for a cause that does not directly affect them.

"The idea of just shutting down a plant and everybody losing a day of work was not something anyone wanted," Singleton said. "The ability to come in on a Saturday seemed to be the best opportunity for everybody to work it out."

He said non-Latino employees tend to support their colleagues' views on the need for reform.

"We know they want to work and they have a right to work. Their co-workers generally support them in that."

Kate Shaughnessy, deputy campaign manager for the Washington, D.C.-based New American Opportunity Campaign, said her organization has been surprised at Alabama's level of interest in immigration reform, including that of Wayne Farms and other employers.

"We're getting to know more about Alabama. Alabama hasn't had a long history of immigrant rights organizations or support. It's exciting to see," Shaughnessy said Sunday.

"We're trying to keep alive the alliances between Alabama's business, faith and labor, their African-Americans, and the civil rights community. We want them all to keep moving in a positive direction."

Shaughnessy said corporate actions, such as Wayne Farms closing its plant today, are critical to the immigration reform movement.

"That's a level of commitment way beyond the letter-writing and lobbying we've seen so far," she said.

Singleton said Wayne Farms sees immigration reform as an important issue for U.S. employers and employees, but it needs to balance its support for such reform with customer commitments.

"The best-case scenario is raised awareness of the issue, but without a work stoppage," Singleton said. "That's what we would like to see."
http://legacy.decaturdaily.com/decaturd ... test.shtml

Quote...........“I don’t think it’s going to be just today,â€

How does it harm the state economy to take these freeloaders off the welfare roles, out of publically financed schools, away from emergency rooms where they pay nothing and out of jobs that should be held by Americans?