The H-2B seasonal worker visas have been a lifeline for the bay's seafood industry, which has suffered from a chronic shortage of local people willing to take jobs picking crabmeat for sale in cans. Dorchester County, home to several of the seafood businesses, has the highest unemployment rate in the state - 11 percent - but picking crabmeat is painstaking, with long hours and low pay, and it's only seasonal. Newcomb said his workers are paid $7.25 an hour, or $2 per half-pound, and that experienced pickers can earn as much as $10 an hour.
Raising wages is not an option, though, officials say, because local crabmeat is already competing with cheaper crabmeat imported from Asia and South America.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Wow
Isn't this interesting: Despite unemployment of 11% in Dorchester County, seafood houses must still rely on migrant labor to pick crabs because no locals want to do the work.
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4 comments:
Amazing, 11% unemployment, is this the "Change" that Obama promised?
I don't get it. If I were out of work, I'd do anything to earn legal pay. My kids are the same way. wth is wrong with people. Maybe all tired and depressed from....being out of work!
Work, any legal work, solves a multitude of ills.
Some problems even Obama can't be expected to solve.
It would be logical to assume many of the 11% were not minimum wage workers and that picking crab meat would not pay the bills.
Now, once you loose the house and car, then yes, It may be ok to go with crab meating... for a while anywho.
Oh, and the 11% unemployment, that is due to the lack of policing of the large banks, not Obama.
.. or more wildly inflamatorily, due to the separation of wealth in this country. (the crazy wealthy influencing politicians to go lax on corruption countermeasures). Bush and Clinton = Both Guilty. Obama however, not guilty.
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