Thread: "Using our tools" What I see , My point of veiw

Conference room.

Originally Posted by stevetheroofer

Conference room.

In other times and other places we did have one Steve

and it was great fun at times

We had one party night a week and would get 20 or more people in there

Conference call? That would be cool! "So who's all here?"

I know where you are at, bro. I've been in the construction biz, too, and seen plenty of really slow times (like the "Carter" recession which, for our state, dragged on for several years). So when I could see our industry was being flooded with illegals, and my union was also doing the PC thing and supporting it, and I knew what that combined with another economic downturn would do, I jumped into the fray. I've been threatened and harassed by zealous union creeps, but I bet the rank and file would appreciate it, now.

My best advice to you, would be, if you are in an area where your craft is overrun with illegals, try to appeal to any patriotic sense your customer base might have. They know they could get the job done cheaper, but ask them if they are really doing the right thing, and then back it up with a guarantee that the job will be done right.

I have called my state's builder's board a number of times to report suspected illegal contractors, and posted instructions of how to do so here, but it's getting tougher in some states. I found out that we have a provision for certain contractors to hire from the illegals day labor hall with no repercussions, even though other temp agencies have to play by the rules. If you can get together with others in your trade who have the same concerns about illegal competition, you might be able to help each other do the proper complaints to your own state's builder or contractor boards. They are going to be really hard to drive out, as any under the table business is, but if they start facing repeated fines and confrontations with state authorities it should have an effect.

I charge a dollar less then the illegals.

The problem I see is that there are so many really small businesses.

The fly by night roofer or pool service or yard service with 3-6 illegals can get away with it forever

Sadly I think that is whats employing a very large number of them

It is!

I have to agree. Come the new year we need to go on the offensive. If this means getting all the different groups organized to stage protests against illegals in DC and every state capital thats what needs to be done. If it means finding sympathetic ICE officers to sit in uniform drinking a Coke outside of major illegal voting stations to deter illegals thats what we need to do.

We will lose if we just come together when an Amnesty or pro illegal bill comes forward. The word still needs to be spread to millions of Americans who go about their lives ignoring the issue unaware of how serious it is.

Wish I could do more myself but little I can do besides emails and faxes as because of a screwed up system I'm overseas with my wife going through the year long EXPENSIVE process of getting her a spousal visa.

Its been awhile but IRC is still around. That was always an easy chat system.

I don't understand why Americans continue to hire illegals in the construction industry when the work they do is clearly substandard. We insisted on American workers for our bathroom remodel and they are doing an outstanding job. I guess it's up to each of us to make sure we don't allow contractors to send us illegals.