"I want to change my working environment...what do you mean I don't have a right to work here? I've worked here for 5 years!" Yes, amazingly enough this is the situation 30 workers and Republic Services of Nevada find themselves in.
I was watching the news the other night and the piece about the 30 workers who wanted to unionize their workplace at Republic Services of Nevada (our local sanitation company) who got laid-off cracked me up. Apparently, those 30 workers were undocumented workers. Republic Services, not one to miss a trick, promptly fired the workers for not being able to prove that they legally could work in the United States.
My favorite quote from Bob Coyle (VP of Public Affairs), "We do not hire undocumented workers."
So the 30 undocumented workers, some of whom had been with Republic Services for 5 years, just hired themselves? Come on Bob, I'm not buying it.
To me, another funny part about this is that it is being plastered all over the news and Teamsters Local 631 is trying to represent these illegals. Um, INS are you listening? There's 30 illegals over here at Republic Services trying to get their jobs back, you mind doing your job?
If there's any justice, Republic Services will get slapped with a fine for hiring illegals, get some sort of INS audit for their remaining workers, and the INS will step in and send the illegals packing.
My guess though is that the illegals stay in Nevada and file for unemployment benefits. Man the system is screwed up.
Here's a link to the article.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
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2 comments:
I read the article and Mr Coyle sez "... a recent merger required them to perform an all-employee audit. When those 30 workers could not present the proper documentation, they were released by Republic Services."
The Union folks KNOW it is because the men came to them about work conditions -looking for help to "organize". This would be the Union who..."also admits that it does not check for legal or illegal status"
The Union line would be easier to swallow IFF (if and only if, it's mathematical, ya know?) Republic Services did NOT have 1,100 union employees, why would they fear 30 more? and how many folks does that leave at the recycling plant - eh?
Plus the doesn't check statement kind of poisons the pot for me...
xoxoxox
The part about not hiring illegals gets me because employers are required by law to see that documentation prior to hiring anyone. Yes Republic Services has other union employees and yes they went through a merger, but Republic Services should be held accountable for not checking that documentation like they should.
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