A CRASH MOREAU EDITORIAL wrote in 2006
In my opinion, I do not have anything against legal Mexican workers, working in this country. But I do take offence to the employers that hire these workers knowingly that they do not speak English. (Except along the Mexican Border Area). If the Mexicans want to work in America than they should be able to speak our language (ENGLISH). PERIOD. For many of these Mexican workers they do not even want to try to speak our language.
Smokies Greater Shows has placed a sign on their midway a few years ago stating that in the interest and public approval they have augmented their American work force with Legal Mexican Workers. These workers speak limited English but understand if you think you need your child off the ride. I feel this is not acceptable when these NON-ENGLISH speaking workers are running carnival rides with the lives of our children and adults in their hands. This is a serious accident looking to happen at what cost? Is this in the best interest of Safety? I don't think so.
(Already in the Northeastern US, there was an accident that injured a few riders back around 2004 or 2005 because of a ride operators language barrier. This state was taking up legislation prohibiting this practice so futher accidents would not happen.)
The sign reads, "If you have a problem, speak to one of our American supervisors or stop at the office. Remember, the distraction of speaking to a ride operator in any language impedes their ability to pay attention!!! " Do you mean you have to take time to tell someone who can speak English that there is a safety concern? If it was English than you wouldn't be impeding the operator as they would know right off what the problem was and not endanger any riders.
BE HONEST! The only reason we have Mexican workers that can not speak English is the bottom line. MONEY. These workers work for less than minimum wage. They live in over crowded quarters and send their money back to the country they come from. American workers want to work, but they also want a living wage so that is why the show owners can not find decent American workers. Most Americans will not work for slave salaries.
The lowest paid carnival workers are paid less than $350 per week. They must work up to 100 hours or more of work per week (sometimes up to 16 hours per day) for this straight salary, now minus room in there bunk house (which some show owners charge them the same amount per week that the local area motels charge for rooms). This boils down to less than $3.50 per hour. In most cases minimum wage is over $5.15 to $8.00 per hour depending on what state you live in. If you are a ride supervisior than your pay increases to maybe $500 if you are lucky. If you really good and work on the right show, than you may go up to $750 per week. Now you have to supervise others, plus you have up to 5 rides to take care of for basicly minimum wage. And all the responsibilities. To top things off, some of these high priced supervisors still do not speak English but are imported to safely handle our American Children. Is this the way it should be? The one exception would be in the Southern Florida area or along the Mexican border as this area is bi-lingual in Spanish. We that live in the Northeast are sure not Spanish speaking Americans.
Both carnival and circus owners argue that they need this foreign labor or they would go out of business if the government does not let these guest workers into the country. These jobs are not skilled jobs but really a job that most laborers can do, so why not pay American's to do these jobs at a decent wage. Because of the wages that are being offered the only American's that apply for this work is the bottom of the barrel of our work force. Unskilled, handicapped, alcoholic and druggies, and homeless people. Is this what we need?
By the way their are many show owners in North America that have great shows, clean up dated equipment and an outstanding labor pool that really stands out. So this opinion does not fit all in the outdoor amusement business.
THAT'S MY OPINION!!!!!
In my opinion, I do not have anything against legal Mexican workers, working in this country. But I do take offence to the employers that hire these workers knowingly that they do not speak English. (Except along the Mexican Border Area). If the Mexicans want to work in America than they should be able to speak our language (ENGLISH). PERIOD. For many of these Mexican workers they do not even want to try to speak our language.
Smokies Greater Shows has placed a sign on their midway a few years ago stating that in the interest and public approval they have augmented their American work force with Legal Mexican Workers. These workers speak limited English but understand if you think you need your child off the ride. I feel this is not acceptable when these NON-ENGLISH speaking workers are running carnival rides with the lives of our children and adults in their hands. This is a serious accident looking to happen at what cost? Is this in the best interest of Safety? I don't think so.
(Already in the Northeastern US, there was an accident that injured a few riders back around 2004 or 2005 because of a ride operators language barrier. This state was taking up legislation prohibiting this practice so futher accidents would not happen.)
The sign reads, "If you have a problem, speak to one of our American supervisors or stop at the office. Remember, the distraction of speaking to a ride operator in any language impedes their ability to pay attention!!! " Do you mean you have to take time to tell someone who can speak English that there is a safety concern? If it was English than you wouldn't be impeding the operator as they would know right off what the problem was and not endanger any riders.
BE HONEST! The only reason we have Mexican workers that can not speak English is the bottom line. MONEY. These workers work for less than minimum wage. They live in over crowded quarters and send their money back to the country they come from. American workers want to work, but they also want a living wage so that is why the show owners can not find decent American workers. Most Americans will not work for slave salaries.
The lowest paid carnival workers are paid less than $350 per week. They must work up to 100 hours or more of work per week (sometimes up to 16 hours per day) for this straight salary, now minus room in there bunk house (which some show owners charge them the same amount per week that the local area motels charge for rooms). This boils down to less than $3.50 per hour. In most cases minimum wage is over $5.15 to $8.00 per hour depending on what state you live in. If you are a ride supervisior than your pay increases to maybe $500 if you are lucky. If you really good and work on the right show, than you may go up to $750 per week. Now you have to supervise others, plus you have up to 5 rides to take care of for basicly minimum wage. And all the responsibilities. To top things off, some of these high priced supervisors still do not speak English but are imported to safely handle our American Children. Is this the way it should be? The one exception would be in the Southern Florida area or along the Mexican border as this area is bi-lingual in Spanish. We that live in the Northeast are sure not Spanish speaking Americans.
Both carnival and circus owners argue that they need this foreign labor or they would go out of business if the government does not let these guest workers into the country. These jobs are not skilled jobs but really a job that most laborers can do, so why not pay American's to do these jobs at a decent wage. Because of the wages that are being offered the only American's that apply for this work is the bottom of the barrel of our work force. Unskilled, handicapped, alcoholic and druggies, and homeless people. Is this what we need?
By the way their are many show owners in North America that have great shows, clean up dated equipment and an outstanding labor pool that really stands out. So this opinion does not fit all in the outdoor amusement business.
THAT'S MY OPINION!!!!!
