Why Are All the U.S. Vacation Spot Workers Russian?

[momof2inPA]

Prove that U.S. students don't want to work these jobs. That's exactly what everyone says about the illegal immigrants, but I refuse to believe that U.S. citizens are lazy. I just don't see that. They might not want to work for the wages that the foreign kids are being paid, but I bet they would work for a little more. We leave no room for supply and demand to effect wages in the U.S. If the businesses paid $10 an hour, college kids would come from the midwest and work at the beach, even with crowded housing. They did when I was in school.

Someone's getting rich off of those Russian kids. I see it as a company store scenario. The kids are paid minimum wage and forced to pay most of it back to live in the housing provided by the student employment agency. We need laws more like Canada's. The businesses should be forced to hire a percentage of U.S. citizens.

With the price of college so high, the kids' wages should be increased so they can pay some of their tuition.

 

[LukenDC]

Prove that U.S. students don't want to work these jobs. That's exactly what everyone says about the illegal immigrants, but I refuse to believe that U.S. citizens are lazy. I just don't see that. They might not want to work for the wages that the foreign kids are being paid, but I bet they would work for a little more. We leave no room for supply and demand to effect wages in the U.S. If the businesses paid $10 an hour, college kids would come from the midwest and work at the beach, even with crowded housing. They did when I was in school.

Someone's getting rich off of those Russian kids. I see it as a company store scenario. The kids are paid minimum wage and forced to pay most of it back to live in the housing provided by the student employment agency. We need laws more like Canada's. The businesses should be forced to hire a percentage of U.S. citizens.

With the price of college so high, the kids' wages should be increased so they can pay some of their tuition.

No one said that Americans are lazy. In fact, it's just the opposite. American youths are ambitious and the seasonal jobs are not prestigious enough for them and really do not help on the resumes of fresh college grads unless they are going into the tourism or restaurant industries. If there were enough American kids to work these jobs, then employers would not look abroad for their labor needs.

I welcome the East Europeans and hope that people are kind to them.

 

[Anne34]

We have seen this in both Cedar Point and Wisconsin Dells. There are many workers from eastern Europe -- mostly Polish and Russian. There are not enough local people to keep these areas running during the summer months.

It only bothers me when they can't understand a request -- like "come back in 10 minutes to clean -- we're changing" and then the room isn't cleaned. UGH!

 

[whoppas]

Vacationed in Pigeon Forge, TN this summer and the place is swarming with them. Never so saw so many pale skinned mulletted young european men in my life. I must say the young ladies were usually pretty attractive!

 

[basas]

We went to the Outer Banks last year, and all the young college age kid jobs were taken by Russian kids. I thought that was odd, but oh well. Then, we went to Destin, FL this year and same thing-- all the kids in the shops and working fast food were Russian. Now, the turnpike workers in Ohio and NY are a bunch of Russians. Apparently, this is some "foreign worker" program where these kids are shipped over to ostensibly practice their English, while being provided housing and jobs.

Funny thing, we went to Niagara Falls, Canada and Niagara on the Lake this weekend and all the college age kid workers were-- Canadian.

So, why can the Canadians employ their own citizens to work these jobs and we can't? Do they pay the kids more? I'm sure the employers who are using the Russian workers here in the U.S. are doing it to save money, but shouldn't they have to offer those jobs to U.S. kids first?

Interesting question. I still can't figure out why all the employees at Valleyfair seem to be from Slovakia.

 

[Rozzie]

Prove that U.S. students don't want to work these jobs. That's exactly what everyone says about the illegal immigrants, but I refuse to believe that U.S. citizens are lazy. .

My DH is a GM of a national chain restaurant. He has to beg, plead, and cry for employees. Todays generation of youth, as a general rule, are not the generation you or I might have been. Lack of work ethic, no self responsibility, and a general don't want to work hard attitude is like a cancer in today's generation. Ask anyone who has to staff a restaurant. Sure there are exceptions, like with anything.

I remember I went and scrubbed toliets and cleaned cabins for just the opportunity to be in Yellowstone in my day, now, my younger cousins snicker at the prospect.

I'll give ya one on the employment companies bringing them over. A lot of the foreign workers are taken advantage of. But PLEASE, before you are in a rush to judge these kids coming over, take some time to hear their story. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. For the most part, they are just hard working kids wanting to better their lives by putting in a lot of elbow grease. Refreshing actually to me.

I really don't get the whole anti-immigrant thing, wasn't this country built by immigrants, legal and not legal?

 

[bavaria]

And as a *gasp* foreigner who often *gasp* works in the United States, I can assure you that any reputable employer will ensure that paperwork is in order before allowing someone to work.