Discrimination...

[Broomjockey]

That's not entirely unreasonable. There are some jobs where recent immigrants (possibly illegal) are all they can afford. If you're going to supervise them you need to be able to talk to them.

Minimum wage means that workers cost the same regardless of immigration status. Paying less or using "illegals" is illegal and the employer should be thrown in jail.

[SuperDan]

Minimum wage means that workers cost the same regardless of immigration status. Paying less or using "illegals" is illegal and the employer should be thrown in jail.

BUT, many recent immigrants are willing to work closer to minimum wage. Your average middle class white guy with 10 years of forklift experience is just going to laugh at you if you offer him $5.15/hr.

[LostMyMind]

Yes, but how did the illegal immigrant get certified to operate a fork lift? So the employer is still avoiding laws, by hiring folks who aren't going to complain due to chance of deportation.

I live in Florida, I don't have a problem with immigrant workers. The farms pay everyone the same, anyone can work at the farms. Now that other places are paying more to "draw" more workers there, the farms here are having a hard time getting enough workers. So they'll have to pay more, and around we go. I'm wondering what going to be the "next" exploited class of workers when immigrants start getting better pay.

[Customer Beating Robot]

in a way, im not sure that is such discrimmination like the OP had. if a job has you dealing with mainly spanish speaking clients, and you do not speak spanish, then it wouldn't make sense to hire you.

Yes, but how many native spanish speakers, who can only speak spanish are given jobs where they interact with native english speakers everyday? Tons of them.

[Rapscallion]

Name one?

Raspcallion, amusing himself

[Gurndigarn]

I'm wondering what going to be the "next" exploited class of workers when immigrants start getting better pay.

Whoever the next wave of immigrants is*. And the hispanics over here (probably their children) will complain about all the damn immigrants coming over here and stealing their jobs. And worrying about the demographics shift and how they're losing political clout.

That's been the tradition for a couple centuries, and I don't see it chaning.


* Anybody's guess as to where it comes from. The political landscape the way it is, my best guess is that we'll end up with our first voluntary wave of immigration from Africa. But that's really only a guess.

[Antisocial_Worker]

Name one?

Raspcallion, amusing himself

Hotel housekeepers. Typically, they're hired in a gaggle, and only one or two speak English. The rest depend on the English-speakers, and if they're not working that day, everybody's screwed.

Then again, usually either their kids or their husbands will speak some, and if they're available they'll do the translating.

What really sucks though is when you're over a barrel and both you and the housekeepers know it. They can get away with murder. We've been trying for over a month to get our housekeepers to vacuum the hall carpets after they bring used towels out of guest rooms. We tell them, and they laugh a hearty laugh and keep piling the towels on freshly-vacuumed carpets, which means there are balls of lint the size of tumbleweeds rolling down the halls for the rest of the day.

What really irks me though is that even the ones who do understand and speak a little English pretend they don't if you ever try to tell them to change what they're doing or to do something more than the usual.

But, it's either put up with them, or import a new batch from India -- not always a good idea because then only the owner can communicate with them and if the owner's incommunicado, then you're back where you started. It's not a good time to try to hire housekeepers around here, and if we lose the ones we have we're in big trouble.

[Seanette]

Name one?

Raspcallion, amusing himself

Native Spanish speaker, no grasp of English, in job requiring interaction with native English speakers on a daily basis? You've never been to southern California, have you? This situation happens very frequently there.

DH and I actually walked out of a Taco Bell in Santa Barbara (where we lived at the time) because we simply could not communicate our order to the employee who didn't speak English (and neither of us is fluent in Spanish), but was for some reason at the front counter taking orders anyway.

My patience with language problems varies by setting. If I'm in a place that caters to a specific ethnic group (e.g. Asian grocery store), I expect that I'm going to have some difficulty communicating, since I'm not in that business' target market. OTOH, fast food places in an area in which English is the predominant language should probably not put employees on the front counter who speak NO English.

[symposes]

It sucks being in a represed minority.
Yes, Im a Caucasion Male.
I bet there are fewer of us then all the men and women of all "races" out there.

I can do no right. I am wrong at every turn. Im even racist if i dont say hello because im about to passout standing up.

Life sucks, and i have my helmet.

[Rapscallion]

Hotel housekeepers. Typically, they're hired in a gaggle, and only one or two speak English. The rest depend on the English-speakers, and if they're not working that day, everybody's screwed.

Native Spanish speaker, no grasp of English, in job requiring interaction with native English speakers on a daily basis? You've never been to southern California, have you? This situation happens very frequently there.

Aye? So, name one of these workers

Southern California? Certainly - I haven't been there. I'm slightly geographically challenged for that. One ambition of mine is to go the Mare Imbrium, but I suspect it's too cold even for me.

Rapscallion

[AFpheonix]

We've had some stockers and cashiers at the front of our store that don't have a good grasp of english. They weren't spanish speakers, though. Some cambodian, a few vietnamese....

Those I can't help with. I can at least get by with Spanish. It ain't pretty, but it gets the job done.

[CrazedClerk]

I might be wrong on this, but I thought some businesses can get tax breaks or some kind of benefits from the government if they employ minorities.

Anything to save a penny or two.

Remember the scene from Crash where Matt Dillion was talking to the black girl and said "when I look at you I can't help but think of the three or four better qualified white men who didn't get your job."

I'm not racist, but I am a white man and I often think about that line and what it's really saying.

[LostMyMind]

Business get tax breaks and benefits for having minorities owners. Nothing for employing minorities (that i'm aware of, at least in florida)

[Broomjockey]

Life sucks, and i have my helmet.

At least you've got your helmet.

[Mark Healey]

Name one?

Raspcallion, amusing himself

I'm assuming you are responding to:

Customer Beating Robot

Yes, but how many native spanish speakers, who can only speak spanish are given jobs where they interact with native english speakers everyday? Tons of them.

If you are, check any fast food place in SoCal. You can't get a job in one if you don't speak Spanish.