Richard
Final Approach
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2005
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- West Coast Resistance
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Ack...city life
At a local convenience store I bought a Dr. Pepper in a 32 oz. plastic bottle. I go there because, well, the convenience, but also because I happen to know and like the employees. I paid $2.00 for that drink.
That got me thinking; it wasn't too long ago that size soda was a lot less. In fact, I'm willing to bet it was around $1.20 less than 3 years ago. I did say I am familiar with the folks who work there and that would include knowing what their wages are. All are P/T, even the store mgr. A clerk will top out at $9.25 after the 1st year. I don't know their benefits package but wouldn't guess it's much. That wage represents a stagnant figure in that it is not significantly different from 5 years ago when my friend's wife worked there. And yet the product prices have risen significantly.
Why are wages drastically falling behind prices? People talk about the need for low skilled labor. When the subject is illegal immigration the arguement always comes 'round to, "But they do the jobs no one else will do." Sure, there will always be jobs that most people will not want. I happen to know my garbageman quite well. Every Monday morning we have a nice chat and he ususally accepts the fresh coffee I offer him. We exchange Christmas cards and talk of other things. He has told me he loves his job. It would take a book to list the reasons why but if he's happy, that is fine by me. It is certainly not a job I would take. Such is the same for many other jobs and the people who more or less find their niche in them.
I also know the illegal immigrants are not limited to the vegatable fields as the argument would have you believe. They are electricians, commercial drivers, and store owners, to name a few of which I have first hand knowledge.
So what does buying an over priced soda have to do with illegal immigration? The answer lies in one of those hidden costs of illegal immigration no one likes to talk about. There are most definately long term costs which are only know beginning to be realized. And it aint pretty. Here is my answer to the question:
A steady source of cheap labor acts to artificially depress the wages. Everyone knows this but the employer is the one taking the most opportunity of it. He doesn't have to pay benefits to a P/T worker and as long as he sets the wage above the minimum allowed by law he is doing nothing illegal. If an employee is unhappy with this he or she can move on. There are hundreds of other employees who will gladly take the job and the employees know it. That is true for even the most menial positions. So is it the employer's fault? He's not doing anything illegal.
That still doesn't explain the over priced soda. Consumer goods have skyrocketed at the same time wages have been depressed because govt continues to add cost after cost which will be passed on to the consumer. Why have costs exploded?
Costs have rapidly increased because of the increase in number of social programs and also because of their ever expanding budgets to run those programs. Those programs become increasingly needed because a larger number of low paid workers cannot make it on their own. They truly need help and it is the govt who has become their champion. This is a consequence of a continued supply of cheap labor. But govt has also allowed a great influx of cheap labor unchecked. It sounds like I am saying it is the govt's fault for the fix we are in.
I am. Only the govt has the ability to tax. Only the govt has the ability to allow this steady stream of cheap labor. The employers take advantage of it but the govt allows to to occur. I'm not saying the govt encourages it (pandering to special interest groups) although I may be naive about that. Yet to allow it to continue unabated will continue to drive wages down and increase consumer costs.
That got me thinking; it wasn't too long ago that size soda was a lot less. In fact, I'm willing to bet it was around $1.20 less than 3 years ago. I did say I am familiar with the folks who work there and that would include knowing what their wages are. All are P/T, even the store mgr. A clerk will top out at $9.25 after the 1st year. I don't know their benefits package but wouldn't guess it's much. That wage represents a stagnant figure in that it is not significantly different from 5 years ago when my friend's wife worked there. And yet the product prices have risen significantly.
Why are wages drastically falling behind prices? People talk about the need for low skilled labor. When the subject is illegal immigration the arguement always comes 'round to, "But they do the jobs no one else will do." Sure, there will always be jobs that most people will not want. I happen to know my garbageman quite well. Every Monday morning we have a nice chat and he ususally accepts the fresh coffee I offer him. We exchange Christmas cards and talk of other things. He has told me he loves his job. It would take a book to list the reasons why but if he's happy, that is fine by me. It is certainly not a job I would take. Such is the same for many other jobs and the people who more or less find their niche in them.
I also know the illegal immigrants are not limited to the vegatable fields as the argument would have you believe. They are electricians, commercial drivers, and store owners, to name a few of which I have first hand knowledge.
So what does buying an over priced soda have to do with illegal immigration? The answer lies in one of those hidden costs of illegal immigration no one likes to talk about. There are most definately long term costs which are only know beginning to be realized. And it aint pretty. Here is my answer to the question:
A steady source of cheap labor acts to artificially depress the wages. Everyone knows this but the employer is the one taking the most opportunity of it. He doesn't have to pay benefits to a P/T worker and as long as he sets the wage above the minimum allowed by law he is doing nothing illegal. If an employee is unhappy with this he or she can move on. There are hundreds of other employees who will gladly take the job and the employees know it. That is true for even the most menial positions. So is it the employer's fault? He's not doing anything illegal.
That still doesn't explain the over priced soda. Consumer goods have skyrocketed at the same time wages have been depressed because govt continues to add cost after cost which will be passed on to the consumer. Why have costs exploded?
Costs have rapidly increased because of the increase in number of social programs and also because of their ever expanding budgets to run those programs. Those programs become increasingly needed because a larger number of low paid workers cannot make it on their own. They truly need help and it is the govt who has become their champion. This is a consequence of a continued supply of cheap labor. But govt has also allowed a great influx of cheap labor unchecked. It sounds like I am saying it is the govt's fault for the fix we are in.
I am. Only the govt has the ability to tax. Only the govt has the ability to allow this steady stream of cheap labor. The employers take advantage of it but the govt allows to to occur. I'm not saying the govt encourages it (pandering to special interest groups) although I may be naive about that. Yet to allow it to continue unabated will continue to drive wages down and increase consumer costs.
