A reader points out that Zirkle Fruit, the illegal immigrant employer and RICO case loser [1] chronicled by Joe Guzzardi on Friday, was involved in an ingenious stratagem last year to find a legal way to undercut the local labor market: importing Thai farm workers under H-2A Visas. [[2] New state import: Thai farmworkers By Lornet Turnbull The Seattle Times Febuary20 2005 Access requires free registration].

Employers are turning to Thais to solve a ghastly problem:

Growers also say many local workers “cherry pick” the orchards for the best jobs and pay, leaving some farmers guessing whether they’ll have enough laborers, especially in a big year.

Quitting one employer for another just to get better conditions! How un-American!

H-2A workers are attractive to their hirers:

…they get workers whose immigration status and loyalty are not in question. And…they know these workers — their English limited and their movements largely controlled — will show up to work.

(Charming - 17th Century Virginian planters no doubt said the same about their imported African slaves.)

Gary Hudson, human-resources director for Zirkle Fruit, one of the region’s biggest growers and a Global client for H-2A workers this year, said, “Because this is a 10-month-a-year job… you want to find those good-quality people who will stick with you…

(How about paying them enough to make them want to stay?)

[[3] email Hudson]

“Global” is [4] Global Horizons, Inc, the California firm functioning as [5] Gangmaster for these workers. To add to the fragrance of the situation, Global had its license to operate in Washington State [6] revoked early this year, for allegedly not fully paying its Thais. It is [7] appealing.

Commiserate with [8] Mordechai Orian, Global’s President (seen [9] here with politican friends -thanks, W.C).