Persuasive Essay On Cheap Labor

Doubling the salary of sweatshop workers would only increase the consumer cost of an item by 1.8%, while consumers would be willing to pay 15% more to know a product did not come from a sweatshop. Cheap labor has become a staple of society even though the drawbacks of the abuse and overuse of low-wage workers has lasting negative effects towards the economic state of a country. The effects of using cheap labor as an alternative extend greatly and are prevalent in copious amounts of industry. The abuse of cheap labor should be reformed because of the detriments it generates.

History/Background Information On Cheap Labor

The use of cheap labor has long been a part of the United States economy. From outsourcing jobs, using foreign workers on visas, and milking the situation of illegal immigrants it is apparent the abuse of cheap labor has become commonplace. One industry that has taken advantage of the use of cheap labor is the tech industry. David Enrich (2000), award-winning reporter and editor at the Wall Street Journal, states that “the tech industry craves

cheap labor, not skilled workers.” ( p. 7) The tech industry used lobbyists to influence Congress to raise the amount of H1-b workers allowed. H1-b are people from foreign countries who can reside in America on a visa for up to six years while working. The tech industry wants to use H1-b workers because they are unable to switch employers, cannot unionize, do not receive employee benefits like those of their American counterparts, and usually take uncompetitive wages. (Enrich, 2000, p.7) The tech industry states that there are not enough qualified American workers and that they need the use of foreign workers to fill positions. Even though a large amount of college graduates are unable to find jobs in their field of study. Historically, some government leaders have supported the controversial H-1b bill. Senators Orrin Hatch and Spencer Abraham, enthusiastic sponsors of the H-1b bill, have received high-tech company campaign contributions totally nearly one million dollars. (Enrich, 2000, p.7) The tech industry is a prime example of using cheap labor to improve the bottom line.
Another area that abuses cheap labor is the use of illegal immigrants for low paying jobs and paying them under the table.

Use of illegal labor detrimentally affects the economy, job availability, and the wage gap. According to Michael Telzrow (2007) “The costs associated with uncontrolled immigration and flooding the U.S. job market with low-wage laborers far outweigh any savings to be had.” (p. 27) Americans without higher education are being pushed out by illegal immigrants willing to work the same jobs for lower pay. The economy is being affected by the prolific use of illegal immigrants in low paying jobs. In the 1980’s, the wage gap between low- and high-skilled workers increased between 15 to 25 percent due to the use of illegal immigrants. (Lind, 1998, p. 60) The idea that American workers will not do hard labor for low wages has become a false commonplace argument for the use of illegal

immigrants.
The Use of Cheap Labor Has Negative Effects
Coupled with the problems in the past of using cheap labor in the tech industry and illegal immigrant workers the use of cheap labor has only grown more prominent. William Jasper (2003), the senior editor of The New American, observes that “college grads who obtained degrees in computer science and engineering are finding themselves replaced by Third World counterparts willing to work for twenty to fifty percent less pay.” (p. 10) While many blue colored jobs have been replaced by the use of illegal immigrants the use of cheap labor is spreading more and more into white colored jobs. American citizens should not have to pay an absurd amount of money and obtain a form of the highest level of education in the world to have limited job prospects due to the outsourcing of companies. The competitive edge in innovation and technological leadership that the United States possessed is disappearing. (Jasper, 2003, p. 11) A technological leadership is been one thing the United States has been dominant in for some time and has been what has set the country apart from others and isn't something that should be given up so easily. The use of outsourcing jobs and limited job prospects for educated American citizens is contributing towards the decline in the edge the United States possessed in innovation.
To put it differently the United states had become dependent in both the thought that the use of foreign workers are needed and that large importation is necessary. Best emphasized by Michael Telzrow (2007) “This enormous megaphone of unchallenged opinion has partially succeeded in convincing Americans that without continued access to millions of foreign workers America’s economy will wither on the vine.” (p. 28) Both through outsourcing and the use of unskilled workers it has become customary to believe that the United States needs the use of external workers. Even though the job expectations of many citizens are dismal because of the overuse of foreign workers. This idea is not only shown through the workforce but also that the United States has a dependency on the importations of other countries. There is little hope of prosperity if the United States allows itself to depend on competitors even adversaries for basic parts, supplies, technologies and resources. (Jasper, 2003, p. 12) Becoming more and more reliant on Foreign goods is only a recipe for disaster. Large scale importation and abusing the benefits of using foreign workers does and will continue to put large financial strain on the economic status of the United States.