| p>Since I moved to Charlotte, I have been trying to | | | | immigration issue is a Latino issue. In 2004, the Pew |
| understand how the Charlotte community views its | | | | Hispanic Center reported that 80% of the illegal |
| Latino population. One way that I gauge community | | | | immigrants into North Carolina are from Mexico and |
| opinion is by the number of Letters to the Editor when | | | | Latin America. Secondly, according to a 2006 report |
| Latino issues are discussed in the local newspapers. | | | | from the UNC Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute, the state |
| A few months back, The Charlotte Observer | | | | incurs a net cost of $102 a year per Latino resident |
| published a series of articles describing how Latino | | | | (documented or not). This cost covers health care, |
| workers were treated at several poultry plants in the | | | | education and corrections. Finally, Latinos are here |
| Carolinas. Due to the poor working conditions and the | | | | because of supply and demand. Businesses are hiring |
| repetitive work, many employees suffered | | | | Hispanics regardless of their legal status. The laws are |
| incapacitating hand injuries. These Latinos were | | | | clear: businesses are not supposed to hire illegal |
| treated as "disposables." Because there are so many | | | | immigrants. A 2006 article by The News & Observer, |
| of us, some companies (especially in the construction | | | | however, specifies that not a single business in NC has |
| and manufacturing sectors) have the view that if one | | | | been fined since 1999 for hiring illegal immigrants. The |
| "breaks," a substitute can be found very easily. This is | | | | influx of Latinos will stop when the jobs have dried up. |
| predominant in areas where the skill level needed to do | | | | But those jobs will not be disappearing any time soon. |
| a job is very low or the available pool is mostly | | | | One of the biggest challenges organizations currently |
| composed of illegal immigrants. I cried when I read the | | | | face is how to meet an impending employment |
| articles; however, letters to the editor from the Latino | | | | shortage due to an aging workforce. The baby boom |
| community were almost non-existent. | | | | generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) is |
| Yet when the NC Community College system stated | | | | ready to retire in massive numbers. Unfortunately, |
| that they would no longer admit illegal immigrants, the | | | | according to Dr. James Johnson, Jr. of UNC, |
| uproar (positive and negative) of the community was | | | | "Americans stopped having children in sufficient |
| evident. Many readers agreed that letting illegal | | | | numbers to replace ourselves." |
| immigrants get a college education makes them | | | | So, where will the new workers be found? Since one |
| assets to the community. Others responded that by | | | | in every five residents in the U.S. is Latino, it makes |
| doing so, we are educating these people to take over | | | | sense for organizations to tap into this growing |
| the jobs of Americans citizens. Interestingly enough, no | | | | population to meet their current labor needs. |
| one volunteered to take the jobs of the "disposable | | | | Companies are not only benefiting from filling a gap, but |
| workforce." | | | | also from acquiring personnel who can lead them into |
| When is Charlotte's opinion loudest: when the | | | | the profitable Latino market. The current purchasing |
| community is apathetic towards illegal immigrants who | | | | power of the Latino community is $700 billion, with |
| are exploited while preparing chicken for general | | | | projections of reaching $1 trillion by 2010. (To |
| consumption? Or when it denies an education to the | | | | understand this number, consider that India's economy |
| children of the "disposable" illegals? | | | | is approaching $1 trillion, the third largest in the world). |
| Why should we care at all if Latinos are ignored or | | | | Companies and communities, Charlotte included, must |
| embraced? There are two main reasons. The first is | | | | be able to understand this labor pool, help augment |
| survival - Latinos will help replenish the upcoming | | | | their skills, and develop the trust that is necessary for a |
| workforce shortage. The second is profit - their | | | | successful relationship. And that trust can only be |
| purchasing power makes them a force to be | | | | developed if we make every effort to care to convert |
| reckoned with. | | | | "disposables" to assets, not only because it helps us as |
| Let's take a closer look at the Latino population in | | | | a nation, but because it impacts our bottom line. |
| North Carolina: First of all, in this state, the illegal | | | | |