Watching NOW about guest Mexican workers in the Lolo National

[Cleita]

forest in Montana. They have legal work permits. I didn't know this until now. They are tied to the companies that hire them, so they can't form unions or change jobs. So it looks like BushCo has already sneaked this in. It's on PBS now. A lawyer who follows them says it's exploitive and he has seen workers fired for asking for a drink of water.

[Cleita]

1. It was a good story showing the workers as human beings

and telling the story how they ended up there. I guess no one cares though if it doesn't fit their stereotypes of the job stealing aliens.

[Selatius]

2. They use outside contractors on purpose.

The smartest employers are able to get around the law by using contractors who sub-contract out to other parties, and sometimes those parties also contract out the work as well. What you have is a bureaucratic labyrinth with the sole purpose of insulating greedy employers from prosecution for knowingly hiring illegal aliens.

It makes it easier for employers like Wal-Mart to say, "Hey, we thought they were here legally; it's not our job to screen them anyway; that's our contractor's responsibility. Prosecute them instead of us."

[frylock]

3. it's a damn disgrace the way these people are exploited..

the Sac Bee did an incredible 3 part investigative report about the guest workers they use to clear forests. It's really worth reading if you're interested in the topic.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/projects/pineros/

[sandnsea]

4. Farm workers from Malaysia

The UFW signed a contract with them, I guess hoping to get them to follow the law. But they've been cited so many times, I don't think it will work. Same thing, a big labor contracting corporation who then doesn't meet the legal labor standards or the standards of the contracts the workers signed. Just like the Mariana Islands.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?p=39