Oberweis subcontractor accused of hiring illegal immigrants

November 8, 2005 (WLS) -- Republican candidate for governor Jim Oberweis is under fire again on the topic of undocumented workers. An immigrant rights group claims a subcontractor hired and underpaid workers to clean several of his dairy stores. Oberweis says illegal immigrants did not work for Oberweis Dairy.

Oberweis says he will get to the bottom of the allegations. Two years ago during a run for US Senate, Oberweis was criticized for his stance against the use of undocumented workers in the US.

Jim Oberweis says he deeply regrets handling the issue of illegal immigration so crudely and insensitively two years ago and it's not part of his current gubernatorial campaign. But immigration rights groups consider Oberweis a poster child for the alleged hypocrisy of this country's immigration policy, which condemns illegal immigration while relying on illegals to do all the low-paying menial jobs that boost corporate profits.

Jorge Ibarra and Rosa Ramirez are undocumented workers from Mexico. They claim they were only paid half the minimum wage to clean three Oberweis Dairy stores in the north suburbs last May. Now they are filing an unfair labor practice charge against the company chairman, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Oberweis, who was roundly criticized two years ago for his aggressive campaign against illegal immigration in an unsuccessful run for the US Senate.

"Mr. Oberweis has exploited these workers twice. He exploits the labor cleaning the ice cream stores for $3.20 an hour and demagoguing their illegal status for cheap votes," said Joshua Hoyt, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant Rights.

"They are not employees of Oberweis dairy in any fashion," said Jim Oberweis, (R)-candidate for governor.

Oberweis says he doesn't know the alleged victims and the dairy has no legal liability because the cleaning is done by a sub-contractor. But he is pledging to sever ties with the sub-contractor if it is violating labor laws and his campaign manager is blasting the immigrant rights group.

"This isn't about fair compensation for the employees of contractors. This is about a political smear campaign to stop a reform politician who's had the courage to stand up on the issue of illegal immigration in the past," said Joe Wiegand, Oberweis campaign manager.

"Mr. Oberweis is not popular in the immigrant community, because he has chosen to make cheap political points over undocumented immigrants," said Hoyt.

"I can tell you directly and clearly, if there is any injustice done, we'll deal with it quickly and firmly," said Oberweis.

The cleaning company, Pat Mar Janitorial Services located in Lake in the Hills, claims to have done nothing wrong. But Oberweis is meeting with them Tuesday night to find out what did or didn't happen. His campaign is also questioning the timing of the complaint, one day after moderate Republican Judy Baar Topinka entered the GOP primary against Oberweise.

But according to the immigrant rights groups, this is about reforming immigration laws, not politics.

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