We’ve written innumerable posts on these pages about the big meatpackers needing cheap LEGAL immigrant labor. As a matter of fact, I believe they and other big companies are the drivers behind the refugee resettlement program. Big businesses know how to work the political and federal government systems to supply their needs—Jonah Goldberg writing in Liberal Fascism calls this “corporatism.”
Wages will stay relatively low when there is a large pool of employable people willing and able to do the job—a simple fact of business economics. In the case of refugees, wages can remain low because some of the other needs of the new immigrant are met through various forms of public welfare.
Well, they have to work somewhere you are saying! Yes, they do. I don’t disagree! I also suppose there are many American citizens desperate these days to work at Cargill, Swift & Co., Tysons, or Aramark. I’m not addressing that question here. What drives me crazy is to see do-gooders think and act like the refugee program is all about warm cuddly humanitarianism.
The fact of the matter is that pouring immigrants into the US to benefit big business fits very nicely into this public relations framework that the political Left has well-established. Whether it’s historic “preservationists” supposedly saving a site and cashing in on its tourist potential with hotels and convention centers nearby, or “environmentalists” being sucked into the global warming corporatism where the big players are going to make a bundle selling carbon credits, or big companies lobbying for amnesty for illegal aliens trying to look like humanitarians when it’s the bottomline they have their eye on—that is the well established strategy. Do-gooders keep falling for it and can be counted on to call critics (like us) racists (or whatever fits their demonizing goal) thus shilling for the big money bags behind the strategy.
My point is, just be truthful. In the case of refugees, the State Department (the Obama Administration now and the Bush people previously) just tell the truth, just admit there is a big business element driving the refugee program and the Open Borders movement as well. (In addition to adding voters to the Democratic voter rolls. I could never figure out why the Republicans don’t see that.)
So what got me off on this latest tirade? Two articles last week mentioned that refugees are working for Aramark (see also Aramark at wikipedia, here). I didn’t even know what Aramark was, but have since learned that they are a giant company that runs such things as food services at your kid’s college cafeteria, or even whole public school cafeterias. They also supply cleaning services for airports, hotels and even hotels in National Parks!* They need a constant supply of cheap labor. They are working with the volags (federal refugee contractors). They are also involved with Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity. Because there is so much, I’m going to make a whole category just for Aramark here at RRW and follow their involvement in the refugee program.
Here are the two articles that first caught my eye:
This one, from Deseret News, tells us about Aramark employing refugees in Utah.
Roughly 1,000 new refugees arrive in Utah each year after fleeing wars and persecution, and the biggest issue now is finding enough jobs, says Emily Smoot, refugee job developer with Catholic Community Service.
Smoot is encouraged by the successes of refugees she has placed in jobs recently — including 26 with Aramark Corp. at Lake Powell Resort.
The second one is about the Bhutanese in Cincinnati :
The family is happy in Greater Cincinnati. Khadka Neopane works in the laundry at Aramark.
I bet you are saying again, so what, they have to work, they apparently don’t mind the work—that is not my problem. My issue again is that I want an admission that the refugee program is not simply an issue of helping the world’s downtrodden. It helps the Far Left achieve their political goals and it helps big business.
Below are links I’m saving for future reference. Let me be clear, I am not saying Aramark is a good or bad company for taking advantage of immigrant labor. I only want to make the point to humanitarians that the refugee program is not all about doing good for the immigrants and refugees, it is doing good for the corporate bottomline and for professional politicians willing to help their corporate friends.
Aramark angers Union in Detroit, here.
Aramark hammered by SEIU, here.
Aramark CEO holds wedding reception at Ellis Island, here.
Aramark found guilty of discrimination by EEOC, here.
Aramark gets “diversity” award, here.
Aramark targeted, here. Apparently they oppose card check!
* I’m digressing, but I know a good bit about the National Parks because I had to fight to keep my farm from being taken by the National Park Service a long time ago. Did you know that the same strategy was and still is employed in connection with the Park Service. Preservation types (do gooders) push for expansion of old parks or the creation of new ones while their big money friends build hotels and convention centers nearby. It is actually a brilliant scheme. The public (taxpayer) pays for the care of the attraction (the park) and the big money friends of the preservationists (sometimes the preservationists themselves!) cash in nearby. It is sold to the public as an issue of “saving” some important environmental or historic asset, but financially benefits certain people and allows the federal or state government to take over more land. Do you see the core strategy and how it’s just the same with the refugee program?
