BALTIMORE (WJZ)—The intentions are good. Put more Americans to work. But a federal order to raise the wages of foreign workers to attract U.S. workers to those positions could end up costing jobs.
Alex DeMetrick reports at least that’s the feat in Maryland’s seafood industry.
Some 280 temporary foreign workers pick crab meat in Maryland. Only a handful of Americans do this work. Charlotte Jones, who has been doing it for 65 years, knows why.
4 comments:
it's not just the crab picking companies, there are alot of companies hiring foriegn workers just cause they will accept less then the going rate. Americans are not stupid!
Employers do not have to pay the government as many taxes if they use foreigners instead of Americans. This includes Unemployment and FICA taxes. It doesn't matter what you raises the wages to. Americans will still cost more until the playing field is leveled.
The Y1 visa program brings in 180,000 foreign workers to resorts every year who are lower cost than Americans for the same reason.
Open your eyes.
At nearly $30 per pound for lump crab meat (local, or that horrible Phillips asian crap), it's not paying somebody $7 per hour that is creating all the costs. Heck - a bushel of #2s is selling for $35 - $40 at the retail level. Somebody along the supply chain is making plenty of money.
picking crabs is far from rocket science and should be paid for accordingly. minimum wage is the greatest of plenty, no matter who's doing the picking!
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