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One thing I see where I am, a large east coast tourist town, many employees in the resort are foreign exchange students. It has been that way for a while. Many other resort towns in touristy areas along the east coast do the same.
Personally, I'm not really for it as the employers look for these students early on in the year, before any Americans are thinking about their summer jobs because they're still in school. So many Americans who could afford to summer in these places don't get the opertunities.
Another thing is that costs of rent have gone up so much (this is a seasonal place, so seasonal rentals are ridicules) that the traditional graduates from the DC/Balt/Phily area can't afford it. Now, one difference between Americans and these foreigners is that we are a more independent people. Americans may/will look for a place with a roommate or two to save money, but they want their own rooms, a larger bathroom and a living space with TV. These foreign exchange students have no problem living in a slop house with a couple bunks per room and a shared bathroom for multiple people. Likewise, minorities such as Latinos here illegally, don't mind having multiple families living in 1 house so they can pay the rent. So, of course, you'll see them working at the hotels in these types of areas.
In the 90's it was mostly Americans and only the Irish foreign exchange students. But as things straightened up in Irland they were no more so the hotels, gamerooms, restaurants and all other tourist activities started bringing in Russians and Eastern Europeans. Then came the Latinos from assorted country's. Right now there are a lot from the Dominican Republic. Now, many of these students come from the wealthier of their country's but many of them "conveniently" miss their flights back and we are now overflowing with illegals in a lot of these jobs. Both overstays from the student exchange program and those that brag about how they come across the border illegally then buy a stolen Texas or Puorto Rican ID along the way. Then they take the name of who is on the ID.
And yes, they hire them because they can pay them lower wages. The students get a dump to live in that the owner has. So, really, what incentive is there for an American to work in these hotels, restaurants, etc unless they, themselves are students in the nearby collage town or locals from the surrounding farms and small towns? The pay is going to be low and none of the employees will converse in English.
I pretty much see this in every coastal resort.
And for the locals who don't want to work in any of the tourist trades and want a year-round job? Unless they start something themselves or know somebody it is hard to find who is hiring when all the help wanted signs and adds for any of the construction trades, chicken processing and any other year-round job are all advertised in Spanish and in the now Mexican and Central American towns. The are sought aftert because they can be payed less.
I too lived in a tourist town for 18 years (Ocean City NJ). I disagree that other kids don't get the chance. Places DO start hiring in early spring, but that's always been. But you don't have to be there. They advertise all over online for summer help, and at least in OC, they kept advertising and hiring all summer. There is never such a thing as "all full" when it comes to summer jobs at the shore. But the days of kids getting together and renting a house for the summer are over, now that the summer house costs $30,000 or more. Some piers in Wildwood have old, decrepit boarding homes they bought to house workers, and the foreign students stay there. But few American parents are going to let their kids move into a falling apart old house with a bunch of strangers.
They don't pay the students less than they pay American workers. All our "front line" foreign workers are from Eatsern Europe, Ukraine, Russia. The darker skinned workers here are always in the back washing dishes or taking out trash and mopping floors.
I too lived in a tourist town for 18 years (Ocean City NJ). I disagree that other kids don't get the chance. Places DO start hiring in early spring, but that's always been. But you don't have to be there. They advertise all over online for summer help, and at least in OC, they kept advertising and hiring all summer. There is never such a thing as "all full" when it comes to summer jobs at the shore. But the days of kids getting together and renting a house for the summer are over, now that the summer house costs $30,000 or more. Some piers in Wildwood have old, decrepit boarding homes they bought to house workers, and the foreign students stay there. But few American parents are going to let their kids move into a falling apart old house with a bunch of strangers.
They don't pay the students less than they pay American workers. All our "front line" foreign workers are from Eatsern Europe, Ukraine, Russia. The darker skinned workers here are always in the back washing dishes or taking out trash and mopping floors.
Employers do pay illegal workers less though and many of them hire them. Why do you think there are so many Hispanic hotel maids?
What utter nonsense! Curious why you don't mention American Blacks to. Our citizens have always done those types of jobs it's just that "immigrants" most of whom are here illegally have priced them out of those jobs!
Fine, let's mention American blacks, American Asians, American whichever color you want to put in there. Doesn't matter, most "established" Americans (regardless of which type and even if they are not middle class) will not want to work a minimal wage job cleaning dirty motel/hotel rooms due to the issues I described in my previous post. But the world must keep going 'round, so who do you think will take these jobs? This isn't rocket science.
And if you were checking out of a hotel in America and you see a non-white person pushing the housekeeping cart to your room to clean it, do you automatically assume it's an "illegal?" Because the general nature of your posts assume you would.
Employers do pay illegal workers less though and many of them hire them. Why do you think there are so many Hispanic hotel maids?
I know, but that's not what that poster was talking about. He was saying foreign visa students are taking away summer jobs from American kids, I don't agree with that. Even with the students, our shore town was perpetually short-handed. Many don't want jobs in retail, and they get all of the lifeguard jobs and beach tag checker jobs (higher paying then store jobs). The market is such that they can pick and choose. I think many of the stores would like to be able to hire enough American kids. I once got a soft pretzel on the boardwalk from one of the students and asked for mustard, and he had no idea what I was talking about.
As far as the illegal workers, they get the back room jobs, washing dishes, etc. not front line jobs, ever. In my building, one apartment was given to one such worker, his wife and baby, that the pizza place downstairs hired (2 of the stores came with an apartment). That guy worked at least 16 hours a day, and I know he wasn't getting paid for all of that.
I really don't think many Americans want hotel maid jobs, though. It's kind of an embarrassing job when people ask what do you do, IMO.
I too lived in a tourist town for 18 years (Ocean City NJ). I disagree that other kids don't get the chance. Places DO start hiring in early spring, but that's always been. But you don't have to be there. They advertise all over online for summer help, and at least in OC, they kept advertising and hiring all summer. There is never such a thing as "all full" when it comes to summer jobs at the shore. But the days of kids getting together and renting a house for the summer are over, now that the summer house costs $30,000 or more. Some piers in Wildwood have old, decrepit boarding homes they bought to house workers, and the foreign students stay there. But few American parents are going to let their kids move into a falling apart old house with a bunch of strangers.
They don't pay the students less than they pay American workers. All our "front line" foreign workers are from Eatsern Europe, Ukraine, Russia. The darker skinned workers here are always in the back washing dishes or taking out trash and mopping floors.
Here in Ocean City, MD its pretty much the same. An east coast touristy resort. In the past the opportunities were there for Americans straight out of school. I moved here from the other side of the Chesapeake around 92' and it was a totally different time then.
But in the last 20 years the illegal population has grown considerably and a couple of the surrounding towns, mostly Latino now, are where these places search out "locals". And of course, the exchange students who they've been using for years. How I understand it, is since they're putting these students up as part of the terms, they don't need to pay them in hourly wages what they would typically pay.
Add to that, as you mentioned, rent has gotten so absurd in town nobody, unless they're well to do, can afford to come down here for the summer and get one of those jobs anymore.
This place was actually quite cheap to rent or buy until about 20 years ago.
Fine, let's mention American blacks, American Asians, American whichever color you want to put in there. Doesn't matter, most "established" Americans (regardless of which type and even if they are not middle class) will not want to work a minimal wage job cleaning dirty motel/hotel rooms due to the issues I described in my previous post. But the world must keep going 'round, so who do you think will take these jobs? This isn't rocket science.
And if you were checking out of a hotel in America and you see a non-white person pushing the housekeeping cart to your room to clean it, do you automatically assume it's an "illegal?" Because the general nature of your posts assume you would.
They are entry level jobs for Americans, Americans that want to supplement their wages and college aged kids. Funny, before the flood of illegal aliens into our country willing to work cheaper I saw mostly Whites working those jobs. Coincidence?
We have far too many low paying jobs in this country anyway. We don't need a hotel, burger joint, etc. on every corner. Better to see them fold up than to import foreigners to work in them and the taxpayer has to subsidize their living costs along with putting added stress on our schools, healthcare facilities, roads, neighborhoods and our social and natural resources. We should only be allowing in skilled and educated foreigners we actually need for "necessary" jobs where there is a shortage of workers.
You have a reading comprehension problem. I didn't say that I automatically assume when I see a Hispanic working as a hotel maid that I assume they are all here illegally. What I said is that a good many of them are and that's just a fact!
I know, but that's not what that poster was talking about. He was saying foreign visa students are taking away summer jobs from American kids, I don't agree with that. Even with the students, our shore town was perpetually short-handed. Many don't want jobs in retail, and they get all of the lifeguard jobs and beach tag checker jobs (higher paying then store jobs). The market is such that they can pick and choose. I think many of the stores would like to be able to hire enough American kids. I once got a soft pretzel on the boardwalk from one of the students and asked for mustard, and he had no idea what I was talking about.
As far as the illegal workers, they get the back room jobs, washing dishes, etc. not front line jobs, ever. In my building, one apartment was given to one such worker, his wife and baby, that the pizza place downstairs hired (2 of the stores came with an apartment). That guy worked at least 16 hours a day, and I know he wasn't getting paid for all of that.
I really don't think many Americans want hotel maid jobs, though. It's kind of an embarrassing job when people ask what do you do, IMO.
Read my post #149.
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Our citizens have always done those types of jobs it's just that "immigrants" most of whom are here illegally have priced them out of those jobs!
