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Contending Tradeoffs: IRCA, Immigrants, and the Southern California Restaurant Industry
Author(s) -
Morales Richard A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
review of policy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1541-1338
pISSN - 1541-132X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1541-1338.1992.tb00397.x
Subject(s) - immigration , immigration reform , service (business) , tertiary sector of the economy , labour economics , labor demand , business , control (management) , economics , immigration policy , wage , political science , marketing , management , law
The impact of immigrant labor in the Service sector is best understood by focusing on the organization of production within firms and its effect on employer demand for labor. This analysis of the San Diego restaurant industry identifies a two tier occupational structure, where employers have selectively recruited undocumented immigrants to fill back‐house positions. Conversely, the target hiring of the U.S.‐born for visible front‐house positions completes the cost‐effective symmetry which has allowed this industry to flourish. Although the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) threatens this arrangement, its policy effectiveness remains extremely problematic.