i work with a few guys i have known for a while and they are all spanish, and yes i went out and bought rosetta stone from craigslist and started to learn spanish and it helps out so much its amazing.

 

You don't have to speak it, most of them learn enough english to get by.If you can't find a decent American who is motivated to work ,you really don't have much choice because all of the competition around here is using Mexicans.You have to have the same edge that they do,just make sure to do it legal,so if he gets injured you don't eat his medical bills.

 

Rosetta Stone is great. I spent like $250-300 on it and picked up more in the first week than I ever would have expected. Unfortunetly since that first week it has been sitting on a shelf untouched. Actually I think that was suposed to be one of my winter projects, maybe next year. But I looked into it alot and got tons of recomendations for it from people who used it for all different languages.

Another thing I see alot of guys do is get a bi-lingual worker that works hard. That way as he gets experience and your company continues to grow you can use him as a forman or crew leader, and he'll be able to talk to both your customers and workers. I should be taking my own advice, one of the laborers I use barely speaks a word of english. I use him occasionally for trenching irrigation, spreading loam where we can't get a machine, basically back breaking stuff. For trenching I paint the line and with my hands show him how deep and wide and he figures it out. Works harder than anyone else I have had and I trust him a hell of a lot more than any guys I've picked up from labor ready. And yes he is 100% legal, and pays taxes, he just doesn't speak the same language as us

 

I agree, bi-lingual workers are very valuable. I don't speak any Spanish, but my business partner does. Every week I tell myself I should learn. Even with the employees who speak good English, it's still their second language. Little miscommunications happen every week- especially over the phone!

 

Another thing I see alot of guys do is get a bi-lingual worker that works hard. That way as he gets experience and your company continues to grow you can use him as a forman or crew leader, and he'll be able to talk to both your customers and workers. I should be taking my own advice, one of the laborers I use barely speaks a word of english. I use him occasionally for trenching irrigation, spreading loam where we can't get a machine, basically back breaking stuff. For trenching I paint the line and with my hands show him how deep and wide and he figures it out. Works harder than anyone else I have had and I trust him a hell of a lot more than any guys I've picked up from labor ready. And yes he is 100% legal, and pays taxes, he just doesn't speak the same language as us[/QUOTE]

I think what a man does in his own bedroom is his business. :waving:

 

how much do you pay a mexican?

 

Try to get your hands on a Brickman english/spanish book. Pretty much all landscape phrases.......I still refer to it all the time.

 

how much do you pay a mexican?

Pay him according to what his work is worth, regardless of nationality.

 

Pay him according to what his work is worth, regardless of nationality.

C'mon you know they are underpaid. That's why they get the job over the white american 20 year old kid that actually speaks english:usflag:

 

C'mon you know they are underpaid. That's why they get the job over the white american 20 year old kid that actually speaks english:usflag:

They aren't underpaid at all. The industry has exploded BECAUSE Mexicans are will ing to work for the amount of money that THE JOB PAYS. In Mexico they would be lucky to make 200/week (6 days/12hrs)..IF they had a GREAT job. ANYONE who has what it takes to make it in this business will be paid well....The white people who complain that noone will hire them or pay them well enough to do it unfortunately have no clue that they have little value to an employer...in any industry. I know a Mexican that makes 75k per year....my guys make 50k. If no one will pay you what you think your worth...it's because your NOT worth it.

 

i bought the roseeta stone and its sitting right beside me, havent put it in yet though

 

i pay mine 15 per hr....they are worth it. I pay the homeboys 9-12 per hr and id rather pay them 3

 

just learned this one Baller baja (low baller). LOL. Baller is pronounced ba ya'-her.

 

Well the problem is that if they speak English they will want more. Also if they speak English they have a better chance of stealing your client or getting hired from another LCO. I'm solo and charge in the middle and I can't even beat the prices down in WESTPORT, and Fairfield!!!!!. There all Mexicans and eve the stores have them. Funny how it's the richest two towns in CT. I'm 28 and I am not as fast as when I was 16 and I don't want to be killing myself working alone. I hired a few Americans and friends and when I leave they talk on there phone, work slow, don't do a good job, or complain about the heat. My friend has a few Mexicans and they work hard!!!!! Kids these days don't want to work hard or do this field because they get picked on because they say it's a Mexicans job. I can't see any 21 year old American weed wacking a lot of lawns every week. I guess the other culture is just use to there back round because the weather is hotter and there immune to it.

 

The Mexicans crossing our boarders to American soil can do same as our fore fathers who migrated here before them, learn the American language ENGLISH. My wife who immigrated to this great country had to become bilingual for occupational work and to become an American citizen,so can they, there's no freakin excuses why our society should bend over backwards for these people.

 

SnapperJack,
I agree that those who want to live in the U.S. should learn English and it's not our government's job to cater to them.
But I think you may be missing a major point.
As Soloscaperman said:

I hired a few Americans and friends and when I leave they talk on there phone, work slow, don't do a good job, or complain about the heat. My friend has a few Mexicans and they work hard!!!!! Kids these days don't want to work hard or do this field because they get picked on because they say it's a Mexicans job. I can't see any 21 year old American weed wacking a lot of lawns every week.

This is what I've obseved, too. Many of the younger generation Americans don't want to work hard at a job they consider menial. But, the Mexicans do. So it just might be in your best interest, if you need to hire lawn care workers, to hire some Mexicans and maybe even learn a little Spanish to boot.

 

Let them learn English. That's my philosophy. If they want to come here to the US, they can learn our language.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

SnapperJack,
I agree that those who want to live in the U.S. should learn English and it's not our government's job to cater to them.
But I think you may be missing a major point.
As Soloscaperman said:

This is what I've obseved, too. Many of the younger generation Americans don't want to work hard at a job they consider menial. But, the Mexicans do. So it just might be in your best interest, if you need to hire lawn care workers, to hire some Mexicans and maybe even learn a little Spanish to boot.

With all due respect it'll be a cold day in you know what before my tongue pronounces a word of Spanish,you see I too work with a few Mexicans and have to back track their work to see if any items have been left out or been over looked,like any race you have your good and bad apples too,sorting through a bushel of rooting apples maybe a( ) you know what though:laugh:

 

Library.....

 

Guys ,
This country is in the process of changing primary language from English to Spanish, It won't happen over night, but is slowly coming ,no I am not , kidding.
And I am not against it, just wonder how people can't see that...

 

Thanks for the tips. I will try a few books at BarnesNoble then try Rosetta software. I actually had one client that only spoke Spanish and the daughter was the one that had to translate for her (this was one of my first clients 3 years ago.) Maybe I can find a hot Spanish girl at a bar and be the only American guy that can speak Spanish and be the lucky guy ha ha.

 

everyone is looking at this in the wrong way. If someone comes to america and learns english he will have a much better chance at becoming successful. We dont want this... i say let them speak spanish for the rest of their lives it will help americans maintain our "superiority". It sounds racist but its true.

 

Took 3 years of it in college and all I can say is Si and No. Fortunately I have a sister and brother in law that both speak fluent Spanish and can translate for me

 

Thinking that the day is coming soon that if you can't speak two languages you're going to be left behind. People in the states don't have the large families they used to. Most of the recent population growth is in hispanic community.

 

I have a good friend who has done some non-profit work overseas with a multinational group. The Europeans have a saying "If you know 3 languages you are trilingual, 2 you are bilingual, 1 you are American."