Oh, never heard of him? Well, that’s okay, you can read all about him here: Worker Shortage Hurting Farmers, Profits
It seems Mr. Carnes just can’t find enough workers because of the “crackdown” (um, what crackdown?) at the border.
Growers say tightened border security and longer lines for day crossers have cut the numbers of farm workers who cross the border legally or illegally.
Oh really? Let’s see, what’s next in this report:
the lure of higher paid jobs with better working conditions, such as construction, are keeping some farm workers away.
Ah, so there might just be another reason, eh? As in, dare we say, capitalism? The gall of people (legal or illegal) selling their labor to the highest bidder. Why, that’s just plain communism, Ethel! Them illegals ought to know better! Whaddya mean I can’t treat them like slaves, paying them a pittance for breaking their backs, no health insurance, no workers comp, no employer rules. Nope, just hurtin’ my profits. But wait! Mr. Carnes has a solution – let Congress pass some reforms. Right. That will surely fix it. Poor Mr. Carnes has seen his income drop $150,000 a year! (I surely hope that the reporter is just misinformed and that he is talking about revenues)
Like others who employ migrant workers, Carnes checks employees’paperwork, but said some illegal immigrants probably end up working in his fields.
Sure he does. During his length interview process, of course. Gotta love this next gem of an argument:
Carnes said increased border security is keeping even legal day laborers from crossing the border because lines have lengthened.
“There becomes a point where the paperwork and time doesn’t equal the money,” Carnes said. “I think we just scared them off with all the talk about immigration and closing the borders.”
Translation – If we’d just let ’em cross the river like we used to in the good old days, I could exploit them easier. As it is now, they won’t wait in a line to make $10 a day for:
backbreaking, hot work, especially picking berries in the early summer sun.
No wonder the politicians are always sitting on the fence with constituents like this guy. Add to that the “smart guys” (aka “senior fellow” – read Repub lackey) who rationalize the exploitation of illegal immigrants like this:
“A Mexican worker is going to pick these crops one way or the other, and the only question is whether they pick them here or across the border in Mexico,” Jacoby said.
Yep, politicians have a tough job. Since it won’t get any easier any day soon, they need to do the right thing and lock the border down tight. Then move the fight for workers rights south.
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