pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/archive/s_360810.html
Teen jobs & illegals

Monday, August 8, 2005


It's been a long, hot summer for young people unable to find jobs this year as teen employment dips to its lowest level ever. And this, despite 20 months of job growth nationwide. So, where are the teen jobs?

Some are being taken by older folks looking to supplement retirement savings. Some are being taken by 20-somethings who didn't land employment in their chosen fields.

But more so than ever before, jobs are being snatched up by low-paid, undocumented immigrants for whom employers don't pay taxes, workers' compensation or any health benefits.

That's one of the findings by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University. Director Andrew Sum says he's never seen anything like it.  

According to Bureau of Labor statistics, businesses hired 3.7 million immigrants over the past five years; about half to 60 percent were illegal immigrants.

In New York, some 336,000 employees report working in jobs that businesses say don't exist, according to household and business job surveys.

Not only are teens being squeezed out of summer employment, they're losing a valuable line on their resumes -- work experience -- which helps them secure future employment.

The answer, once again, is enforcement of existing immigration laws. Teens willing to earn their way in the working world shouldn't have to compete against illegal immigrants -- who shouldn't be working here in the first place.

I guess teens have to learn Spanish to work now.

I don't know many teens who will actually do the work that most Illegals will for the wage offered.

At least in Maine, you can't get kids to pick produce anymore, they're too damned lazy.

Though you see a few caucasians, it's almost all Guatamalens picking fruit these days.

Quoted: I guess teens have to learn Spanish to work now.

+1 I had to waste half my summer and $600 at school for spanish.........

In my area atleast just about all the jobs are full and no one is hiring. And guess why?

Quoted: I guess teens have to learn Spanish to work now.

My eldest son's Spanish teacher told him that. He replied, "But ma'am, Spanish is a foreign language. This is America."

She didn't like that.

Quoted: I don't know many teens who will actually do the work that most Illegals will for the wage offered.

It is literally not worth their time. Illegals will work for near-slave wages, Americans will not. Guess what the employers pay?.....no mucho dinero....

Quoted: The answer, once again, is enforcement of existing immigration laws. Teens willing to earn their way in the working world shouldn't have to compete against illegal immigrants -- who shouldn't be working here in the first place.

Actually, the answer bush found is that he is going to make them all LEGAL this year
so no one can demand any laws be enforced against them.............

Gosh, that is a big No Shit!

All the jobs that I had as a teenager are now being done by immigrants (don't know for sure about the illegal part, but it's a good bet)

btw, whats the average salary for a teen worker these days?

6.25 a hour made that at lightfighter tactical i quit because i couldnt afford gas to work there

2.45Cents a gallon here in garner NC

Quoted: Gosh, that is a big No Shit! All the jobs that I had as a teenager are now being done by immigrants (don't know for sure about the illegal part, but it's a good bet)

If you go into a mcdonalds or a jack in the box and it is staffed by adults
that only speak spanish, it is a pretty safe bet that they are illegals

That's why I eat at Wienerschnitzel. No illegals that mess up your order; At least the one I go to.

Quoted: I don't know many teens who will actually do the work that most Illegals will for the wage offered.

that is generally why there are more jobs. Because they can hire more illegals instead of the teens

Quoted: That's why I eat at Wienerschnitzel. No illegals that mess up your order; At least the one I go to.

Maybe they've got illegal German immigrants?......

As a teenager I delivered newspapers and worked in a grocery store.  Both are jobs that I only see Latinos of mexican decent, and questionable immigration, status doing now.

Think about this, why would you hire someone who will only be there for three months and you invariably have to pay more rather than hire an immigrant who will work year round for less money and you don't have to worry about finding replacements every few months and retraining etc.. It took me a month to find a good summer job this year, last one I had one all set up for coming home.

This year I called my old job where my boss had promissed me a job this summer, fucking dick hired three mexicans for what he had paid me and one of the other kids that used to work there. It worked  out though, my current job pays me 13 an hour, I work in a nice office with good people, have a good boss, better (more) hours, overtime, holidays and holiday pay, and I don't have to put up with a scumbag bully of a boss, working in the blazing sun, wearing paint suits, stripping boat hulls and painting them etc.. I however got lucky with having a good connection.

Steve