* From the Guardian…
A company owned by two of Donald Trump’s top mega-donors has routinely brought dozens of its workers from Mexico to staff its warehouses in Wisconsin and other locations even though they do not appear to have permission to work in the US, according to a Guardian investigation.
Uline – a giant Wisconsin-based office and shipping supply company controlled by billionaires Liz and Dick Uihlein – shuttles in its own workers from Mexico, who are using tourist visas and visas meant for employees who are entering the US temporarily to receive professional training, known as B1 visas. But instead of being part of a dedicated training program, the Mexican employees stay for one to six months and – sources with direct knowledge of the matter allege – perform normal work in Uline’s US warehouses.
Lawyers and immigrants’ advocates told the Guardian they believed the alleged practice is likely illegal and could be exploitative of the workers enrolled in the program.
The company has allegedly used employees without proper work permits even as Dick Uihlein’s Super Pac, Restoration Pac, supported Trump’s presidential campaign with a TV advertisement attacking his opponent Kamala Harris for allowing an immigrant “invasion” at the US-Mexico border. The Uihleins have emerged as a major force in rightwing politics, spending tens of millions of dollars supporting candidates, including president-elect Trump and other rightwing politicians, who have called for a mass deportation of immigrants. They were the second-largest political donors in this year’s election, giving more than even Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. […]
One Uline document seen by the Guardian, which was used by a Uline employee in Mexico to enter the US, said the employee would be receiving training in warehouse safety, understanding how to use vehicle-mounted unit devices, and understanding how to identify warehouse locations. Legal experts said B1 visas are intended to be used for short-term visits – no longer than six months – and that workers are not meant to engage in “productive employment” in that time.
Once the Mexican workers enter the US, sources alleged, they work regular shifts in Uline warehouses alongside their American counterparts.
“They are actually doing work. Not training,” said one person with direct knowledge of the situation. The person added that Uline was “very careful” with the amount of time the Mexican employees stayed in the US.
Apparently, the Uihlein’s have such a strict anti-drug policy that, according to the report, they were having a tough time fully staffing some of their warehouses, including in Pennsylvania. Hence the Mexican workers, who are paid in Mexico and allegedly receive far less in wages than their American counterparts.
You should really read the whole thing. It’s quite interesting. And even if they’re not violating the law (and I assume they have lawyers who can back them up), this Mexican worker shuttle service the company is alleged to be running is a pretty clear advance warning of the dangers of severe worker shortages if we see mass deportations. Most companies can’t afford such a thing.
- Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 11:51 am:
Something about the ease of a camel passing through the eye of a needle…
- very old soil - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 11:55 am:
“Such a strict anti-drug policy”. I find it amusing that each of the three cannabis dispensaries I have visited put the product in nice little ULINE bags.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 11:57 am:
- Apparently, the Uihlein’s have such a strict anti-drug policy that, according to the report, they were having a tough time fully staffing some of their warehouses -
Ironic given he was born into extreme wealth and privilege generated by alcohol.
- Larry Bowa Jr. - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:01 pm:
“I find it amusing that each of the three cannabis dispensaries I have visited put the product in nice little ULINE bags.”
That’s after they take them out of the Uline boxes. They’d package fentanyl shipments if it made them a dollar.
- Morty - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:06 pm:
Shocked that the Uihlein’s are hypocrites.
- DougChicago - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:10 pm:
The Uihleins are just disgusting. I am sure the Trump administration will give their immigration matters the deep proctological exam they deserve. If you believe that, you believe that Dan Prof(i)t, whom the Uihliens regularly fund, actually knows how to win elections and not just bleed a PAC dry with transfers to his controlled companies.
- James - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:20 pm:
I’ll never forget the open letter that Liz Uhlien wrote like 10 days after the start of the Covid pandemic talking about how it was time to move on from it.
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:30 pm:
I’ve long felt that folks like the Uhliens prefer very tight immigration policies because they benefit from the labor of undocumented workers who cannot complain, organize, or otherwise assert any rights for fear of deportation.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:34 pm:
” Uihleins are just disgusting”
Wow, perhaps a bit of perspective is needed. They employ thousands, they have a decent 3.1 out of 5 rating as a workplace on Indeed.com. They have amazing prices on goods that every office needs and they are generous via the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation giving over 5 million annually. Yes to some conservative groups - but they have also given millions to groups like the Preservation Foundation of Lake County, the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, and Ducks Unlimited.
- Sir Reel - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:41 pm:
What Morty said.
Get ready for Trump administration oligarchy economy to get theirs while us schmuck play by the rules.
- Loyal Virus - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:55 pm:
Randomly got a Uline catalog in the mail - it weighed almost 3 pounds. Called and told them to stop killing trees and stop mailing that crap out. I refrained (challenging) from also telling the operator how much I loathe their politics.
- Excitable Boy - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:56 pm:
- Wow, perhaps a bit of perspective is needed. They employ thousands, they have a decent 3.1 out of 5 rating as a workplace on Indeed.com. -
You can always be counted on to defend shameless hypocrites. Employing people isn’t an act of charity, you’re profiting from their labor.
In this case they’re profiting by skirting the rules and using cheap labor because they don’t think people who smoke pot should work in a warehouse.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:08 pm:
=Called and told them to stop killing trees and stop mailing that crap out=
The various IL state agencies seem to enjoy ULINE services - they spent over $172,000 in just this FY
https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/vendor-services/vendor-payments-new
- Google Is Your Friend - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:09 pm:
==- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 12:34 pm:==
A few million to good causes versus hundreds of millions on ultra right-wing politics that more than negates through money and policy of officials backed the puny millions for conservation or whatever. You can tell where they believe their money makes the most difference. How come you can’t?
- btowntruth from forgottonia - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:18 pm:
“Rules for thee but not for me.”
- Susie R - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:19 pm:
So when is a rating of 3.1 out of 5 considered “decent”? Also, not impressed with the money they’ve donated for the benefit of wildlife. Would be nice if some of those millions went towards helping humans in need, even if the humans aren’t Republicans.
- Huh? - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:23 pm:
The republican’t motto - laws for thee and none for me.
- JS Mill - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:30 pm:
=they have a decent 3.1 out of 5 rating as a workplace on Indeed.com.
That is a 62% or and F on my grade scale (63% was the lowest passing grade, 70% was my lowest passing grade for my honors classes).
So gracious of you to come to the defense of their low standards and hypocrisy.
- workingfromhome - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:42 pm:
so much winning
- Amalia - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:46 pm:
Know your Uihlein family member. the folks who donate most, the conservative ones and their grandson played football at Loyola Academy. He went on to Northwestern. the Wisconsin Uihlein family is made up of Democrats. don’t know who donates what to which group but know there are differences. but to the point of what some are doing with the workers, following rules is the best way to go. don’t exploit workers. but, the shuttling in certainly may be where we are headed. and prices will increase.
- Two Left Feet - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:52 pm:
The references to the hotel in the article seemed odd. I didn’t feel the waffle machine added to the story.
“Guardian reporters also observed a dozen Uline workers from Mexico living in a hotel…”
“The hotel is comfortable, and was designed to meet the needs of long-term guests. The clean and modern suites have kitchenettes, and breakfast is served every morning: a waffle machine, granola, eggs and dry cereal, and salsa, cheese and sour cream. Hotel staff seemed to make an effort for the holidays. The lobby area included a 10ft Christmas tree and other decorations – including four knit stockings, hung over a fake fire off to the side”
- Pundent - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 1:55 pm:
=Wow, perhaps a bit of perspective is needed.=
Perspective not needed. It’s shameless greed on the part of the Uihlien’s and shameless hypocrisy in yours’.
- 32nd Ward - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 2:12 pm:
I thought journalists were supposed to use active voice in their writing/reporting?
“The alleged practice is likely” “could be” “may have”
Guessing whoever edited this story got legal involved and sanitized it before they help contribute to Trump’s library.
And to Rich’s point: If we have worker shortages, then either a.) Businesses won’t be staffed properly or b.) They will raise wages to attract workers.
The local Amazon fulfillment center offers $25/hr starting out. I don’t see any staffing issues there.
- Honeybear - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 2:17 pm:
I read about this online this morning. Uline in my opinion is just following the example of such companies as IG Farben in it’s labor practices. I have no doubt that it will be made legal by the incoming administration.
- Juice - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 2:18 pm:
Just to add on to JS Mill, with a grade of 62%, it seems like someone should be outsourcing ULINES operations to a charter school operator.
They can get a bit more sympathy when their charitable contributions actually start to surpass their political giving.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 2:34 pm:
“they are generous via the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation”
One can see to whom they are so generous on page 11 of the foundation’s 990PF form:
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205723621/202442399349100259/full
– MrJM
- @misterjayem - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 2:37 pm:
“Wow, perhaps a bit of perspective is needed…”
The hardworking journalists at ProPublica provide some valuable perspective on the doings of the Uihlein family here:
https://www.propublica.org/article/uline-uihlein-election-denial
– MrJM
- Pot calling kettle - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 2:49 pm:
==they have also given millions to groups like the Preservation Foundation of Lake County, the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, and Ducks Unlimited==
Ever heard of “greenwashing”? Does the money spent on those orgs outweigh the money spent to support elected officials who cut back on a wide variety of environmental protections? Buying up a few acres of wetlands does not offset the removal of federal protections for millions of acres.
- Anyone Remember - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:17 pm:
===The various IL state agencies seem to enjoy ULINE services - they spent over $172,000 in just this FY …[.]”
Link requires a FEIN - you have Uline’s? Care to share?
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:23 pm:
=Link requires a FEIN - you have Uline’s? Care to share?=
Try the google machine (TIN)
- ArchPundit - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:37 pm:
===The various IL state agencies seem to enjoy ULINE services - they spent over $172,000 in just this FY
First, that’s not that much, but more to the point the State of Illinois likely has them as a preferred vendor. States set up contracts at certain rates so that you do not have to RFP pens or paper. Or the state uses the GSA contracting rates. But for a state government that is much less than I would expect to be bought from Uline.
Donating to Ducks Unlimited or other non-profits is pointless given they are giving more money to the people who are trying to remove protections for habitat and preservation.
- ArchPundit - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:47 pm:
===Apparently, the Uihlein’s have such a strict anti-drug policy that, according to the report, they were having a tough time fully staffing some of their warehouses, including in Pennsylvania.
While I don’t doubt they might have their own ridiculous policies this is the part of the problem they don’t talk enough about especially in rural areas. Insurers are a big part of this and it’s not unreasonable to want people using pickers or fork lifts or even working around them to not be high at the time. That said, treating tests for cannabis at any time is different from currently high or say meth at any time. Rural employers I used to work and had insurers who required tests all complained about how many people failed the tests. Part of this is on the potential employees who still get high even when they know they have to take a test.
So, yeah, they are awful, but this might be a part of their insurance coverage.
- JS Mill - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:49 pm:
=Donating to Ducks Unlimited or other non-profits is pointless given they are giving more money to the people who are trying to remove protections for habitat and preservation.=
Definitely not picking on @ArchPundit and with respect to all who commented but their donations to these worthy organizations are important to the organizations and should not be dismissed.
That does not mean that the small donations, relative to political giving, provides them cover for their often contrary financial backing. These “indulgences” (to borrow a pre reformation phrase) are obvious in their intent. I hope they keep giving, but we know why and for what reason.
- Anonymous - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:52 pm:
Far left Illinois billionaires (although they are never identified as such for some reason) are much more virtuous and beyond reproach
- ArchPundit - Friday, Dec 20, 24 @ 3:54 pm:
==Definitely not picking on @ArchPundit and with respect to all who commented but their donations to these worthy organizations are important to the organizations and should not be dismissed.
Absolutely. My point isn’t that the donations themselves are bad, just that the cosmic balance of things is still out of whack.