Workplace Watchdog Group Protests Day Labor Centers

The debate on Illegal Immigration will deepen as Congress considers several bills that seek to reform our broken immigration policy. The views and opinions have begun to surface in the blogosphere and there is no shortage of commentary and videos on both sides of the issue. I came accross a group that caught my attention because the posted a few videos on YouTube on what they bill as, " We encourage employers to hire from legal temporary agencies." I posted the following commentary on their blog. If you are interested in reading more on this group click here. This is the commentary I posted on the WorkPlaceWatchdog.org website:

"The tactics and disrespect you demonstrate in your interviews along with the videos you post which includ sound effects of animals and labels such as "alien alert", depict you as xenophobic.

The videos posted showcase a group bent on harassing anyone who disagrees with you on the issue of illegal immigration, which is really the issue you focus on, the Day Labor Center just an easy target. It is interesting that you make no mention on whether WorkPlaceWatchdog.org made an effort to verify whether the day laborers at the Home Depot DLC are in fact are "illegal immigrants", as you allege. The fact is that major corporations such as Disney and WalMart have hired illegal aliens. They routinely side step the responsibility of verifying "legal status" by hiring workers through employment and temporary agencies.

Having worked in the Workers' Compensation Industry for over 18 years. I've seen injury claims from Labor Ready, Remedy Temp, Select Personnel and similar type of agencies which involve illegal aliens. The fact is that the hiring of illegal aliens is done accross all sectors of our economy.

This problem stems from the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which then sought to impose a $10,000.00 fine on employers who, "knowingly hired an illegal worker". The fact is that such fines were rarely imposed.

Although I understand your point of view and your desire publicly speak your mind it was difficult to take you seriously when you continually mention and promote Labor Ready in your videos. The continous mention of Labor Ready leads the viewer to question whether WorkPlaceWatchdog is funded in any manner by such corporation.

If the goal of your organization is to bring focus on problems illegal immigration create, then groups efforts would be better served by addressing state and federal legislators on ways to craft meaningful and workable immigration reform."

Unfortunately the debate on illegal immigration has become a highly fractured and divisive topic in which good natured people have such differing opinions. Hopefully Congress can create meaningful reform before this matter creates further divisions within our Country.

technorati tags: illegal, immigration, laborer, racism, politics