Thread: Illegal Was Making $1200 a Week!!

Employer-sanctions law starting to have the intended effect

By Becky Pallack and Mariana Alvarado Avalos
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.23.2007

"This is what state lawmakers hoped for when they passed the employer-sanctions law in June.

Guillermo Santini, 33, packed his family's Ford Explorer on Friday and prepared to leave Tucson for Mexico. He, his wife and two children — ages 5 and 10 — are moving back to Guaymas, Sonora, because he could no longer get steady work in the construction industry.

All my friends who were doing the same work are leaving," Santini said. "They're selling everything, all their materials, all their tools."
The Legal Arizona Workers Act, which goes into effect Jan. 1, requires state employers to verify employees' eligibility to work in the United States and establishes sanctions for those who knowingly or intentionally hire illegal workers.

The law also is having unintended consequences. Fears are rising that it could hurt the state's economy, and businesses are finding work-arounds to protect themselves from the law.

"The fear factor has set in," said Arizona Farm Bureau President Kevin Rogers.

The law is one of two reasons some workers are leaving, said Marshall Vest, economist at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management. The other: Arizona is less attractive to illegal workers who came to work in a booming economy that now is slowing.

"Tourists" came and stayed Santini and his family arrived in Tucson in 2004, but they didn't do it by sneaking through the desert. They did what many illegal workers in Tucson do: They crossed with valid tourist visas and stayed.

Santini agreed to be interviewed on the condition that his wife, children and employers not be named.

Santini came looking for work that pays well, having been a fisherman in Guaymas. He found good jobs in Tucson's then-booming construction industry.

He started with relatively modest pay of about $500 per week, working for a construction company, Santini said. But later he started working independently as a lathe and stucco subcontractor and was taking home a healthy $1,200 or so per week.

In the last year, as the real estate market slowed and construction decreased, Santini gradually began losing work. About eight months ago, he said, contractors began asking him for a contractors license, which he didn't have. They also asked him for other forms of identification he didn't have, such as a Social Security card.

"There were little jobs. I was working one week, three days. But I was off for 15," he said.

This fall, Santini decided he needed a different job and hired on as a cook at a local restaurant.

But the pay was too low — about $230 per week.

Santini's wife also took a job.

Finally, tired of the increasing difficulty of life in Tucson, the family decided to leave. They were to leave this weekend for Santini's parents' house in Guaymas, where the family plans to settle — for now.

Worker scarcity?

The departure of workers like Santini has some business owners wondering where they'll find employees.

In agriculture, where some vegetable harvests are in full swing, some illegal workers have stopped showing up, said Rogers, who grows cotton, hay and corn in Maricopa County. Those who are left are working longer hours to fill orders.

"There just aren't enough people to fill these jobs, and our economy is going to suffer," Rogers said.

According to one report from the University of Arizona, non-citizens make up 45 percent of the vegetable- and melon-farming workforce — and there is no short-term solution for replacing them, Rogers said. The UA report doesn't specify what portion of the non-citizens are illegal.

Hospitality and small businesses also are feeling the pinch, said Marion Hook, owner of the Adobe Rose Inn and a member of the city of Tucson's Small Business Commission.

"Businesses have been put in the position of enforcing a law they don't understand," Hook said.

Some businesses are finding ways to limit the impact, said Bill Eggleston, director and chair of the Fennemore Craig law firm's business and finance practice group.

New businesses are considering incorporating in another state, where their business licenses won't be at risk, he said.

Some longtime Arizona businesses are talking about setting up each of their branches as a separate entity, reducing the risk that the whole company would fall if one arm were hiring unauthorized workers, said Ron Stolkin, co-chair of Fennemore Craig's labor and employment practice group.

Change comes quickly
The new law already has changed the business climate, said Tom Ward, owner of Isaiah One Inc., an economic development consulting firm in Green Valley.

Companies considering Arizona and other states for new locations are weighing the law, he said.

A resort company he worked with recently decided against Arizona, he said.

"There may be other reasons than this law, but this law was mentioned to me," Ward said.

Vest said it's only natural that companies comparing possible locations will consider the new law. "I think there could be a large effect if Arizona's the only state that has this added regulatory burden."

Hal Netkin, an anti-illegal immigration activist and retired professional recruiter, doesn't buy the "doomsday argument" and thinks the economy will correct itself.

Netkin recently opened a business called E-VerifyFor You.com in Sierra Vista, hoping to capitalize on the new law by conducting employment verifications for employers.

"There will be some hard times for some employers because they're addicted to cheap, illegal labor," Netkin said. "When you have a situation where you can't find American workers — or immigrant workers, if they're legal — wages go up and people start coming back to the work."

http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/217453

But later he started working independently as a lathe and stucco subcontractor and was taking home a healthy $1,200 or so per week.

In the last year, as the real estate market slowed and construction decreased, Santini gradually began losing work. About eight months ago, he said, contractors began asking him for a contractors license, which he didn't have. They also asked him for other forms of identification he didn't have, such as a Social Security card.

Making $1200 a week and paying no taxes--he didn't have a social security card.

"If the American people ever find out what we've done, they'd chase us down the road and lynch us." Bush No. 41, crime family patriarch

"When you have a situation where you can't find American workers — or immigrant workers, if they're legal — wages go up and people start coming back to the work."

This is the key to finding workers--something that the employers don't want to face up to. A rise in wages is so overdue it's not funny, but the corporate elites are laughing all the way to the bank. They think it's a real riot the way our government lets them circumvent our laws. Well, not anymore. State by state we will take back our country. This starts with Arizona and Tennessee. Who's next? Perhaps Illonois? California? What say you?

I am waiting for the lights to be turned on.. just so I can watch the cock roaches run.

I want justice for all those that tried to distort our laws for a profit while having us the middle class foot the bill for all of the public services

AirborneSapper7 wrote:

I am waiting for the lights to be turned on.. just so I can watch the cock roaches run.

Great anology AirbornSapper!

"The world has forgotten what an angry America is like."
terrorism expert John Thompson, of Toronto's Mackenzie Institute.

$1200.00 a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, now that would be a livable income. I want to make some comparisons here. I know it costs more for housing in the SW, and that is my main focus of comparrison. WE rent, cannot afford to even move out of this not-so-good rental (two bedroom with garage, which we put up a temporary wall in for third bedroom), and we pay $660.00 (it is a duplex). Not sure what it is like for similar rentals in SW? Can anyone tell me if they know?

Ok, so that out of the way, I also realize regions of the U.S., pay for most work can be better. Here, the average retail job pays $9.00 hourly, most fast food never pays more than our minimum, $7.80 hourly), and blue collar warehouse workers, such as my husband, average $12.00 (that is exactly what he makes) hourly.

Personally, making 1200 weekly would allow us to OWN a house here, and also afford to keep food in the cupboards consistently.

Still, that is a nice wage no matter where you live (other than NY city, but we all knew that). Tell me folks, what is it like where you all live right now (wages, housing prices, etc...)?

Originally Posted by AmericanElizabeth

$1200.00 a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, now that would be a livable income. I want to make some comparisons here. I know it costs more for housing in the SW, and that is my main focus of comparrison. WE rent, cannot afford to even move out of this not-so-good rental (two bedroom with garage, which we put up a temporary wall in for third bedroom), and we pay $660.00 (it is a duplex). Not sure what it is like for similar rentals in SW? Can anyone tell me if they know?

Ok, so that out of the way, I also realize regions of the U.S., pay for most work can be better. Here, the average retail job pays $9.00 hourly, most fast food never pays more than our minimum, $7.80 hourly), and blue collar warehouse workers, such as my husband, average $12.00 (that is exactly what he makes) hourly.

Personally, making 1200 weekly would allow us to OWN a house here, and also afford to keep food in the cupboards consistently.

Still, that is a nice wage no matter where you live (other than NY city, but we all knew that). Tell me folks, what is it like where you all live right now (wages, housing prices, etc...)?

I lived in Arizona for 9 years---it was a lot more "livable" than PA where I am now.

Making $1200 a week---TAX FREE in ARizona, they were living well.

If you read the article again, you will see that momma illegal didn't even get a job until after papa illegal could no longer find construction jobs.

The departure of workers like Santini has some business owners wondering where they'll find employees.


I will tell you where they will find the workers. Him and his buddies are why I am almost out of business. We are the ones that were pushed to the wayside when Santini and his compadres came here and stole our livlihoods. And we are waiting for them to unass the area so we can get our jobs and businesses back. Because they originally belonged to us.

"About eight months ago, he said, contractors began asking him for a contractors license, which he didn't have. They also asked him for other forms of identification he didn't have, such as a Social Security card."

Wow- no professional skills and a tax-free income! Sign me up!

As to the question of living conditions, here in San Jose, since I can't get a "real" job with my degrees, I currently make 22,000/yr (if that) and pay $850/month for a 1 bedroom apt. Actually, everyone says my apt is a great deal so I'm hanging on to it the best that I can. I feel sort of blessed, almost.

I will tell you where they will find the workers. Him and his buddies are why I am almost out of business. We are the ones that were pushed to the wayside when Santini and his compadres came here and stole our livlihoods. And we are waiting for them to unass the area so we can get our jobs and businesses back. Because they originally belonged to us.

I'm still in business(barely) but my price has not increased in ten years from competing with the illegal scourge.