Companies Trying To Save Money Hiring Foreign Workers

A Dallas/Fort Worth television station investigation is continuing to reveal that, potentially, hundreds of aircraft mechanics brought to the U.S. may not be qualified to do the work.

WFAA [Interesting, no? Ed.] is reporting that industry insiders told them that some of the companies are so eager to save money that they have overstated the qualifications of many mechanics from Mexico, The Philippines, Chile, and other places. The mechanics are hired to work on commercial airliners at San Antonio International Airport. Some are reportedly temporary workers picked up on a special bus provided by San Antonio Aerospace (SAA).  The station followed one of the buses and talked to the mechanics working for SAA, but they would not say how much they make. Sources told the station they are paid a cut-rate wage for the work.

A former SAA mechanic told WFAA that the foreign workers got their training on the job from American workers at the facility. "The more experienced mechanics, we would get paired up with either one or two of these guys,” he says. “And they would watch us for a month or so. And that’s how they would get their training.” Another witness told the station that some of the workers were as young as 16.

The station submitted written questions to SAA and received stock answers, according to the report. A primary subcontractor, Aircraft Workers Worldwide based in Daphne, Alabama, referred the staton to their attorney.

A former judge in Dallas told the station that the companies involved could potentially face serious questions.

FMI: http://www.wfaa.com