Why do we need seasonal workers?

Question

Why do we need them, Is it because the jobs are there but the employers can't get enough Americans to be willing to work them. If we have unemployed Americans, why don't they fill these jobs instead of employers looking on getting seasonal workers?

Seasonal workers are foreigners who can work here legally but then have to go back to their country once they arent' needed. So why use them and not Good Ol' Unemployed Americans?

Answer 1

ditto ben. illegal immigrants are competing with americans who lack job skills. by job skills, i mean showing up on time, showing up at all, doing their job correctly, following instructions and not doing drugs before coming to work.

and also, according to an article published in the nyt this week, 14% of men 30-55 are unemployed in this country because:
1) they don't want to take a job that's beneath them
2) they don't want a job that pays less than what they think they're worth
3) they're coming out of prison (after a period of heavy arrests for drug crimes), and find they can't get entry level jobs like security guard or cashier due to their record.

oh, and a little education for some of the respondents here: millions of illegal immigrants pay taxes on their income here.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040415/news_1n15taxes.html

so enough with the "free services" crap.

Answer 2

We need seasonal workers to help with crop harvests and Christmas retail needs. The reason illegal immigrants and migrant workers are used is those are the people who are willing to be paid little money, have no benefits and not complain. The vegetables that will grace your dinner plate tonight were probably picked by a migrant (seasonal) worker.

Americans frequently look down on folks doing what they consider to be low level occupations. It is sort of a cultural thing. The immigrants however see these low paying/menial jobs as a way to provide better for themselves and their families. They are however frequently abused and taken advantage of by unscrupulous businesses and people who behave in an unethical, illegal and immoral fashion.

I realize that immigration is a big issue right now but it would be nice to hear all sides of the story instead of just the ones that we want to hear.

Answer 3

For the simple reason that your groceries
would go up in price, If Americans are willing to do
their jobs(Illegal aliens) the economy would plummet,
more salary's- higher prices, and don´t you think that those
people that you are talking about with out a job(Americans) would already be in those kind of jobs by now, but no, they want a job well paid and behind a desk giving orders.
So the truth is that we need seasonal workers, in order for our economy to work, and that´s that.

Answer 4

2 reasons that seasonal workers exist- 1. some regular workers take vacation in summer. 2. Some people need seasonal jobs, but and occassionally some of them want the job to be permanent. In other words, some of those seasonal workers are unemployed Americans, who want to fill jobs, and some are even students who haven't worked before, but need money.

Answer 5

Because Americans are not willing to do such strenuous work for less than minimum wage and no benefits. They can just get welfare or unemployment instead.

What a lot of people don't seem to grasp is that in most cases, our unemployed or underemployed people are better off than the well employed in many countries. My Aunt came from Russia where she was an OBGYN and could barely survive on her income.

Answer 6

We need seasonal workers because in the U. S. there is enough work; but U. S. born "Americans" don't want to do it! their stupid pride and god all migthy attitude prevents them from doing down and dirty jobs. And since our goverment has created a free ride called "welfare" they don't need to work in those low wage paying hard jobs, because they will get supported without working anyway.
If you put all those people in assistance and leaving on the streets to do those jobs.... maybe then you wouldn't need seasonal workers.

Answer 7

Seasonal workers are needed when the time of the year is the strongest for the business. Landscapers are generally only needed in the summer for all states that have seasons. Beaches are more popular this time of year so businesses on the beach are busier.

Answer 8

Many of the seasonal workers work for less than minimum wage and because many of them are illegal aliens they're not required to pay workman's comp, insurance, vacation, or all those other ammenities that we've all come to expect in the US. Many Americans can make more on welfare or unemployment that they can make doing seasonal work.

Answer 9

Seasonal workers are only used in the seasonal jobs. No one wants to work these because it is a temp job and when the season is over, you are out of a job. Christmas is a seasonal job time, who wants to work that rush, only to lose your job after it is over? No one wants to unless they need the extra cash.

Answer 10

If you're an employer, you want to maximize your profits and can do so by paying lower wages or hiring people on a seasonal or part-time basis so as not to have to provide benefits.

They will hire anyone who accepts the conditions of employment offered.