Santa Ana City Line brags about low paying jobs for non-union immigrants
I have often written about the travesty that is the City Line newspaper. For years this public relations gimmick has been published by the organization formerly know as the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce. They used to do that with money provided by their buddies on the Santa Ana City Council. Then they would turn around and endorse them.
Supposedly the City no longer pays to publish the City Line, although I am sure that by now Santa Ana City Manager Dave Ream has found a way to throw money at the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance, which used to be our Chamber of Commerce.
Now the O.C. Weekly’s Gustavo Arellano has written about the City Line’s latest goof. Here is an excerpt from his post:
Nothing made for funnier reading this holiday season than an article in CityLine, a newspaper put out by what was once known as the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce but now calls itself the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance so they can justify holding mixers outside of their beloved city. Under the headline “HR Director Praises Santa Ana Workforce,” it turns out the Irvine Co. has, as usual, swooped into SanTana and signed up a bunch of cheap, expendable, non-union immigrant Mexicans to work at their newly refurbished Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach.
Click here to read the rest of Gustavo’s post.
In related news, Bolivian President Evo Morales, who also is the head of Bolivia’s Cocaine Farmers Association, announced this week that he is starting a new government produced newspaper. Perhaps Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido told him about the City Line, when he visited Bolivia to congratulate Morales after he was elected?
Morales also recently “acknowledged for the first time in his nearly three years in office that a portion of coca grown in the country is used to make cocaine,” according to the L.A. Times. Nice. I wonder if that is the real reason why Pulido was visiting him?
January 8th, 2009 at 9:59 am
So what is the solution Art?
Are you suggesting that Pelican go all union - with immigration staus verification - and the illegals are out of a job and go or stay on welfare?
January 8th, 2009 at 11:02 am
If Corona can have that Las Vegas mobster then Pulido can have Morales. Wait, Corona got in trouble for that and some might argue that Pulido has no morals.
I know - bad joke.
January 8th, 2009 at 11:08 am
“…it turns out the Irvine Co. has, as usual, swooped into SanTana and signed up a bunch of cheap, expendable, non-union immigrant Mexicans to work at their newly refurbished Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach.”
Which all goes to show what a spectacular mess the status quo with regards to immigration truly is. That the United States accepts a system whereby people are let into the country illegally so that very powerful American industries can pay them sub-standard wages, not pay health benefits, and often keep these folks from collective bargaining, is truly reprehensible.
Some have called this a system of virtual slave labor. I’m not sure I’m ready to go that far, but I’m getting there.
January 8th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Right-On #3 Anon!
January 8th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Junior,
I believe anon #3 is what Art Pedroza and Arellano are concerned with.
The system mentioned by “anon” does nothing to correct poverty and the social ills associated with it.
We pay just wages to the loborers which will help eleviate social issues associated with poverty or we pay to place band aids on the social ills brought by poverty. WE HAVE A CHOICE.
We know what rich industrialist and opportunist prefer.
January 8th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
junior,
I am suggesting that the City Line is celebrating today’s equivalent to slave labor.
There is a reason why Metzler and his bogus organization always support SAUSD Trustee incumbents. They want to keep Latinos down - and poor.
January 8th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Art,
Still waiting for your solution to the Pelican - union - illegal workers situation.
January 8th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
So do we have agreement that a Guest Worker Program that does not include a living wage, health benefits, and the ability to engage in collective bargaining, would merely be a codification of the status quo…and nothing more than a handout to corporate interests?
January 8th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
anon,
Heck NO!
Guest workers are on their own - just like everyone else.
January 8th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Art - You could not be further off-base in your comments regarding the SA Chamber’s commitment to advancement of Santa Ana’s Hispanic workforce.
Try these on for size:
High School Inc. - 6 learning academies at Valley High School which is nearly 100% Hispanic. Including - Automotive, Engineering/Construction, Global Business, Healthcare, Manufacturing and New Media. http://santaanachamber.com/HighSchoolInc/index.aspx
English Works Program:
Launched in 2006 by the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance, the English Works community outreach campaign has a goal to bring English language skills to 50,000 local workers and their families by the year 2012.
The Chamber supports Workforce Housing and much, much more to support and encourage the growth and enrichment of Santa Ana’s Hispanic community.
Also worth mention is the Jan. 21st mixer with the OC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
You should become involved with the Greater Santa Ana Business Alliance and work toward positive solutions for Santa Ana’s Hispanic community
January 8th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Junior,
A guest workers program by definition would be special - “a guest workers program”.
It can not then be considered to be the same as a citizen workforce and for these workers to be on there own like everyone else.
The point is well presented by Anon #8.
The US Dairy industry for example through government subsidizing has destroyed the Dairy industry in Mexico. This industry with government assistance recruits Mexican eployees that are now out of work because of the US Dairy industry destroying the Mexican Dairy industry.
These recruits are paid low wages and treated as “Anon” has stated. In addition the US industry deducts the money spent on bringing them to the states from their paychecks. When not needed or these employees do not follow the employer’s requirements that would not be placed on US citizens - the recruits are let loose to fend for themselves. We tax payers then deal with the issues this behavior creates.
SO, YES THEY NEED PROTECTION AS “ANON” # 8 SUGGESTS.
January 8th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Mike Tardif,
You are correct.
The purpose of the programs you mention are to give the participants an opportunity at higher wages.
I do not believe the Business Alliance would support worker abuse. I am on this Board of Directors and have not seen any indication of fellow Board Members or Staff supporting such behavior.
The interpretation of the City Line article is possibly misunderstood. I understand the concern though.
January 8th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Nowhere have I seen mentioned that the people the Irvine company recruited are illegal.
Everybody just seems to assume they are.
January 8th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
# well ,just to mention Santana city name.What comes to your mind???????????
January 8th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Joe,
You are correct. Do you believe this to be incorrect assumption?
January 8th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
“Guest workers are on their own - just like everyone else.”
Just like American corporations are “on their own”?
January 8th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
#15: Yes.
I don’t think the Irvine company is so stupid to employ illegals. If anything, they would use a subcontractor, like Walmart has done.
But if they were using a subcontractor, they wouldn’t dare knowing where the workers come from. Plausible deniability…
So, my guess is that they have hired people who are legally in this country.
January 9th, 2009 at 9:27 am
I actually went to those recruitments, I did not find anything of interest for me but I must say right to work documents were being checked. many people who were filling out applications were English speakers. If Gustavo and Art would have been there they would not have written what they did.