Employers Say Immigrant Labor is Extremely Vital to Oregon's Economy

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Advocates for Oregon business say the first consolidated effort by Oregon employers to promote sensible approaches to immigration reform is officially underway with the launch of the Coalition for a Working Oregon (CWO).

The CWO is comprised of 20 Oregon employer groups who represent well over 300,000 workers. The coalition promotes comprehensive immigration reform on the federal level that ensures Oregon's key industries have access to a necessary workforce to remain competitive.

Jeff Stone of the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) said that having a working system to supply adequate workers to Oregon's key industries is critically important to the state's economic wellbeing. "Immigrant labor is extremely vital to our economy, said Stone.

"Unfortunately, the current system for supplying a legal workforce to employers is broken." Stone added that even though employers are complying with current immigration laws and, in most cases, offering wages well above minimum wage to employees, they are still struggling with securing a legal workforce and keeping their businesses profitable.

Bill Perry with the Oregon Restaurant Association (ORA) said that the Coalition formed out of the concern that harsh and discriminatory immigration reform laws can devastate many of Oregon's key industries. He noted, "A state-by-state patchwork approach to immigration reform will only lead to conflicting laws that will delay real comprehensive reform on the Federal level," and went on to note that states such as Arizona and Oklahoma are already experiencing serious labor supply shortages and economic shortfalls due to hastily passed immigration laws.

CWO plans to undertake a variety of activities to support its goals, including commissioning and publishing an economic study outlining the importance of immigrant labor to the Oregon economy, education, and advocacy efforts. To learn more about the CWO and how you can become involved, please visit the coalition's official website at: oregoncanwork.org.

Members of the CWO include: Agricultural Cooperative Council of Oregon, Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors, Associated Oregon Industries, Associated Oregon Loggers, HBA of Metropolitan Portland, Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, NW Food Processors Association, Oregon Association of Nurseries, Oregon Business Association, Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, Oregon Farm Bureau Federation, Oregon Fresh Market Growers Association, Oregon Home Builders Association, Oregon Landscape Contractors Association, Oregon Lodging Association, Oregon Restaurant Association, Oregon Wheat Growers League, Oregon Wine Growers Association, Oregonians for Food and Shelter, Pacific NW Christmas Tree Association and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Affiliated members of the CWO on the national level include: Immigration Works USA and the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition.

Coalition for a Working Oregon (CWO) is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sensible and thoughtful comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level. The CWO is comprised of 20 Oregon employer groups who represent over 300,000 Oregon workers. For more information on CWO, please visit oregoncanwork.org or call (503) 796-3013.

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rashed February 16, 2012 10:55 pm (Pacific time)

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Just stoppin By May 5, 2008 8:37 pm (Pacific time)

I believe that as human beings we should all not only get along but respect each other beliefs. I understand the anger and frustration coming from both sides but what I do not understand is the ignorance.I recently spoke to a worker about immigration and the words that came out of her mouth were disturbing. I can understand other peoples point of views that are different from my own. But...why the ignorant words?? I am sorry but people who cannot respect one another are ignorant in my book. It is a very frustrating issue to talk about but respect one another look at the different point of views and then we will be able to understand one another and come to an agreement.

LegalAmerican May 4, 2008 9:50 am (Pacific time)

Of course most illegals are Mexican. And yes, what about all the Mexican gangs if Mexicans are so family-centered? I suspect many Mexicans admire gangbangers. It is a different culture. And not a very good one either!

Anonymous May 3, 2008 9:51 am (Pacific time)

"Matt Johnson April 30, 2008 6:55 pm (Pacific time) Thorhammer88: You seem like you are trying to find answers, and here is one. The people we are talking about are not all Mexican. That is a country that has all kinds of problems like us controlling their southern border and people forget about that. On any given day only a portion of the PEOPLE we are talking about are from Mexico. Having said that, Mexico is an extremely diverse place and I haven't met a Mexican yet who wanted to make me live their culture. Like all cultures, there are good and bad aspects. They sure take care of the family unit better than Americans, so maybe there are lessons to be learned." MY RESPONSE: The majority of illegal aliens in Oregon are Mexican. When Mexican punks tag our properties, speak Spanish, demand things be printed in Spanish, etc. and wave their heinous flags at the rallies, that IS forcing their culture on us. So, if the Mexicans take care of their families so well, how do you explain all the Mexican gangbangers. Oh, 9 out of ten Salem's Most Wanted are Hispanic. Products of a strong family ethic? Mexico's southern border? How do we control that? Oh, do you even know Mexico's policy on illegal aliens? Mexico needs to clean up and stop dumping all it's losers on us!

Not Pedro May 2, 2008 12:19 pm (Pacific time)

Dulce, this country became ours many years ago, and if you want it back, Mexico will have to fight for it. Maybe you should give your country back to the natives and move back to Spain.

JB May 2, 2008 11:34 am (Pacific time)

As someone who has spent a lot of time in Mexico I can tell you that you are either rich or you are poor. No middle class. Which seems to be starting to happend around here. I don't blame these people for comming to the US illegally, I'd do the samething. But with no checks and balances we get the drug dealers rapist murderers and all the other scum too. We need to secure the borders and start fixing our problems first then worry about everyone else. Anyone who disagrees with me should leave their house open today and let any homeless person walk in, eat everything in your fridge, camp out on your couch and then ask what your cooking for breakfast. You wouldn't allow that would you?

Dulce Delgado Campa May 1, 2008 9:37 pm (Pacific time)

This is to all of the people who say that we should go back to our country! WELL IF OYU DONT WANT US IN UR COUNTRY WELL THAN GET THE HELL OUT OF OURS!!!!!!!!!!!!

USA Citizen May 1, 2008 11:10 am (Pacific time)

Ms. Hodges, how's that? If I'm just reporting what a mexican said about his own countrymen, how does that make me a racial bigot? If you read a story about skinheads leaving leaflets around Salem and told a friend, would that make you one of them? I would say no. So quit with the uneducated name-calling and labeling. And here's some advice, travel. Find out what's really going on and how average people of the world think about you and your country!

Maria Hodges May 1, 2008 9:49 am (Pacific time)

USA Citizen- scared of his own shadow, unable to separate his fear and ignorance from some simple facts. You are a racial bigot and nobody cares who your family married, stupid. I am not Mexican, I am also not stupid, guess we have a little bit in common, not much though.

USA Citizen May 1, 2008 9:34 am (Pacific time)

As someone who has lived in mexico and has mexican relatives (by marriage, I'm not mexican) I asked: Why do so many mexicans want to come here? I was told, by mexicans, "it's our poor and uneducated, even our criminals. We're glad they're leaving for the US." To me that says a lot!

Nada Pedro April 30, 2008 11:06 pm (Pacific time)

You should read the article on CNN about Hawaii and the huge problem they have with illegal aliens. They turned their backs about 110 years ago, and now look at the problem. They have had to learn a new language, as well.

Not Pedro April 30, 2008 9:57 pm (Pacific time)

Vic, I too have angst over some of the issues you identified. However,I do not think that national pride is a bad thing. And, people flooding to the US from any land, without legal authority, simply are not right. You imply that Mexican labor is limited to field work. You should ask some farmers how they are getting their fruit picked this year. The fact is that a lot of the farm labor is legal. The ones who are working on your roof, and taking the other blue-collar jobs that US Americans DO WANT, are the ones that are perturbing folks. You see, I know of young US American kids who want a good-paying trade. These illegal folks have broken unions and brought down the wage rate to the point that US Americans can no longer support their families. You talk about justice. Removing the illegal working class would be justice. I have a friend who owns a roofing company who resisted hiring Mexican labor. He eventually had to cave in, because he could no longer compete. The Mexican crews may or may not pay their social security, etc. They contract from him, so he doesn't have to deal with the issue. But he doubts they are paying taxes. He also knows that 80 percent of the crews change within a two-three-four years. They go back to Mexico and live like kings.

Matt Johnson April 30, 2008 6:55 pm (Pacific time)

Thorhammer88: You seem like you are trying to find answers, and here is one. The people we are talking about are not all Mexican. That is a country that has all kinds of problems like us controlling their southern border and people forget about that. On any given day only a portion of the PEOPLE we are talking about are from Mexico. Having said that, Mexico is an extremely diverse place and I haven't met a Mexican yet who wanted to make me live their culture. Like all cultures, there are good and bad aspects. They sure take care of the family unit better than Americans, so maybe there are lessons to be learned.

Thorhammer88 April 30, 2008 6:27 pm (Pacific time)

I am not xenophobic. I just don't like the Mexican culture. It is being jammed down America's throat, and I hate to see that happen! Mexicans should not be favored above any other nationality.

Henry Ruark April 30, 2008 4:29 pm (Pacific time)

Vic et al: Well-said, Vic ! Honest passion comes thru in strong impact, always acceptable and far too often missing from the current American psyche. Why not do Op Ed detailing this still further, with your insightful examples ? Takes all of us to end this damaging desperate debacle, and return to wit, wisdom and WILL of true American demo principles. Thank you ! AND "keep firing no matter what !" since you know dmnd well "they" gonna do so...

Vic April 30, 2008 3:01 pm (Pacific time)

You know, Not Pedro, I DO have anger issues.... Big Time...and I see them as completely justified. I cannot shake it. I have always been an easygoing person for most of my life, but lately when I turn on the TV or read the news, I get madder than Hell. I see so-called Christian leaders calling for nuclear war and political assasination...not to mention cheerleading for the war. I see bloated old racists that wouldnt last ten minutes doing field work screaming about the illegals taking "the good jobs". I see Bush, Rice and the other liars responsible for over a million deaths waltzing around, making jokes and living the good life, while their victims rot and their families, American, Iraqi and Afghani, grieve. I see old white men making billions off the blood and suffering of millions. I am mad at God, who I used to trust, for allowing this. All the Sunday School promises of "meek inheriting the Earth" piss me off too, as all I see the meek inheriting is suffering and brutality imposed by the arrogant. I see decent hardworking families at the end of their rope wondering how they are going to get by and put food on the table while our military spends 42 cents of every tax dollar on war. Our schools, which are for the most part outdated and overcrowded, get 4 cents of every dollar. And...I am mad that more people are not as mad as I am... Other than all that, I am a pretty happy-go-lucky guy.

Henry Ruark April 30, 2008 2:39 pm (Pacific time)

Bob, Vic: Might find Op and Reader's Note just-up helpful in your mutual search for further justification on your wise and sensitive judgments. Must say mine own experience parallels Vic's, bu might just make evaluation stronger if writing-same...!!

Not Pedro April 30, 2008 12:49 pm (Pacific time)

vic, you have anger issues?

Vic April 30, 2008 6:47 am (Pacific time)

Im with Bob. Screw the hatemongers. I have found that most racists arelosers who are desperately looking for someone other than themselves to blame for their pitiful, insignificant lives and their many failures.

Not Pedro April 29, 2008 11:21 pm (Pacific time)

hey bob, it's not about race, it's about culture. mexico has got to imporove itself, not expect all its people can get (comparatively) wealthy by flooding the u.s.a.

Not a Ghost, But White as a Sheet April 29, 2008 10:10 pm (Pacific time)

Hey ghostie, mexico don't like huge populations of whites moving THERE, unless the are filthy rich, too. You, pedro, are racist.

Bob April 29, 2008 9:41 pm (Pacific time)

Sigh.....this strikes to the heart of the immutable ignorance of Human wiring....xenophobia. Fear difference. Fear the ones who look different..act different..speak differently. But we've put a few thousand years behind the reasons for that particular bit of circuitry - and it's time to understand we're all the same species -- regardless of origination or skin color. A refusal to see this..is to embrace ignorance and allow that blindness of complexity to color one's thinking. Grow up people. Try to understand that the world is a very complex place...and you can't shuffle blame for all your ills onto a specific nationality. I love it when people say "if you don't like it..get the hell out of this country"....grin...as if ANY of us have some claim beyond a force of arms via our forefathers. Ignorance has a way of ...well....refuting logic. I really do think it's time to just mellow out...embrace the diversity that has built the US of A to what it is...and get along. Let's leave the hatred to those who can't evolve.

NormalNorm April 29, 2008 8:26 pm (Pacific time)

Too bad these people come from such a backward culture. People wouldn't be compalining if they were Norwegians. Mexico has always been a cesspool. And the cesspool has backed up into Oregon.

Henry Ruark April 29, 2008 7:40 pm (Pacific time)

Mark et al: Good question, Mark. Two comments here clearly mark out differentiations which make the outmoded "objective" goal one now under probing exam by every level in communications. Cognitive science is giving us the tools with which to test and perhaps even improve what's needed to obviate the very plain bias and prejudice involved in so much of such s...(read stuff !) we see --and it is about time, too. For further clarification I can recommend Racism section of Wikipedia, open to all via very simple computer search. IF "objective fact" can in any way reach some of these WDs ("Woefully Deprived"), it is there laid out in full detail and some eleven pages. Unfortunately most of it simply emphasizes mine early on re psychotic symptom.

Henry Ruark April 29, 2008 7:34 pm (Pacific time)

Jojo et al: See my Comments elsewhere (on two other stories) re psychotic symptom status of racism. Yours reflects sorry state of mind defying any rational answer in expectation of any reasonable change when 21st Century realities explained, such as huge worldwide costs to American leader in freedom and democracy if we adopted your course of action. Only parallel comes from --you guessed !-- Nazi times. Per factual explorations by those we know to be both accurate, reasonable, fully accountable (NOT behind one-name) and all those other good things, much of what you wrote simply reflects the expected neocon attitudes. IF you feel so strongly, why not do your own Op Ed, and make sure to document some other source than your b:button feeling exposed here. OR ID-self to Editor with email address and we can go direct, which I would relish.

Ghost of Pedro Alvarado April 29, 2008 6:10 pm (Pacific time)

Sniveling and scared little white people, most of them out of shape and mean, afraid of the "brown people" who are their fellow residents on earth. Illegal residents are human beings, most are very careful and they have to be with Oregon's racists being who and what they are. Every fear that these ungrateful white people have, I hope they get to experience personally. Karma being what it is, they probably will. Maybe they would better understand "the Golden Rule". By being racist (which equates directly to being anti-Christian) and having so much hatred and fear, they have someone to blame their own shortfalls and pathetic lives on, but it is not the fault of that guy picking the lettuce that I drove by today that you people are so miserable, and I know all of you know it too. I know, they all say "I'm not racist, I just don't think people should live here illegally" and that is good and fine but it is also a lie, because who your neighbors are is not important, next to whether or not that neighbor of yours is doing OK, but you don't care. God did not put that border there, find new things to be mad about.

Mark April 29, 2008 5:48 pm (Pacific time)

Objective and subjetive, which one?

jojo April 29, 2008 5:23 pm (Pacific time)

well henry, i still think kick them out of our country, they cost us a fortune. take the american people off welfare and make them go to work. let the teenagers work and i'm sure they will. don't give me that crap that we need the illegals. we don't need them, they need us and our money. deport/self deport, build a wall. end of story. people don't like it, get the hell out of this country and go to mexico.

Henry Ruark April 29, 2008 3:33 pm (Pacific time)

To all: So much for "force them all to GO HOME !" --or "set labor laws to drive them out" -- or whatever other fantasy is now fashionable among UNthinking and uninformed. See previous Op Eds for full story with documentation. If still so-minded, send all possible donations to Bush II for that border fence that so carefully avoids selected area and special spots owned by a few.

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