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| A new approach to illegal workers: LA business owners sue for unfair competition |
| 2006-08-23 |
| Business owners frustrated by lax enforcement of immigration laws are taking their fight to court, accusing competitors of hiring illegal workers to achieve an unfair advantage. The legal action is an attempt by business and anti-illegal-immigration groups to create an economic deterrent against hiring illegal employees. In the first of a series of lawsuits, a temporary employment agency that supplies farm workers sued a grower and two competing companies on Monday. Similar cases claiming violations of federal anti-racketeering laws have yielded mixed results. The California lawsuit is thought to be the first based on a state's unfair-competition laws, legal analysts said. Santa Monica, Calif.-based Global Horizons claimed in the lawsuit that Munger Brothers, a grower, hired illegal alien workers from Ayala Agricultural Services and J&A Contractors. All the defendants are based in California's farm-rich Central Valley. The suit claims that Munger Brothers had a contract with Global Horizons to provide more than 600 blueberry pickers this spring, but nixed the agreement so it could hire illegal aliens. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 "If not, expect living standards to start dropping towards Mexico's" I have been told that here in Los Angeles some 30 to 40 years ago, wages for janitors (who were predominantly black) were relatively good, or at least not poverty-level. I do not think that is the case today. |
| Posted by: Fordesque 2006-08-23 23:04 |
| #2 "It's to the point that doing business legally isn't worth it." Because the US government refuses to enforce existing laws, principled businesses have to contemplate breaking current laws just to stay competitive. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s not the fear of apprehension that has prevented most from already making that decision. Their deliberate hesitation is due to ethics. Even if there were concerns of modest government enforcement, in most cases, the penalties would pale in comparison to their potential profits. Indeed, what’s driving ethical companies to comply with the regulations is their refusal to compromise their integrity. If the pending US Senate/Administration legislation on “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” passes in its current language listen for more and more businesses to say…“Well yes…techniquely it’s against the law but…” |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-08-23 15:12 |
| #1 "unfair-competition laws" That's good for keeping everyday Americans' wages up with cost of living in the US. If not, expect living standards to start dropping towards Mexico's. Won't that be scenic. |
| Posted by: Jules in the Hinterlands 2006-08-23 12:46 |