Inner Eastside Day Labor Center Equity/Diversity Project

By Jaryn KonoMichael Lipson Faisal Alderaibi Nurullah Unukur

UNST 122A Portland

Professor Sy Adler

Background of the Portland Day Labor Center In 1996 the Workers Organizing Committees formed to fight against the tactics used by immigration agents and police that discouraged day laborers standing on corners on intersections in Portland looking for work. This Committee later become VOZ Workers Rights Education working towards building legal places where day laborers can be picked up for work. After a hard 8-year campaign, VOZ was awarded a grant by the City of Portland and opened on June 16, 2008

Background Mayor Tom Potter was a big backer of this project

Reasons for Building Portland Day Labor Center1. Separate criminals from immigrant workers2. Police cannot hassle workers at the center3. Safer conditions4. City has less people standing on street corners

Street Roots Discussed the problems with the day labor center as well as some of the good things. Unemployment slowing down day labor in Portland. Center not fulfilling its mission, laborers still congregate on corners. Neighboring businesses hoped the labor center would clear the corners. Laborers say it is desperation that leads them out from the center and onto the corners.

The center does not guarantee work. Police are concerned with heroin dealing on the corners where laborers congregate. The police do not think the heroin dealers are workers, but people who intermix within the group. Meetings between the day labor center, Police, business owners, and other constituents have been going on for the last few months to solve these problems and lessen the impact of laborers on the corner. There is no quick fix in sight. A possible outcome of these meetings may be a change in the Good Neighbor Agreement with the Day Labor Center. The Impact Area or area where the center is responsible for getting workers off of the corners and into the center may enlarge.

Since the center opened in 2008:

10 people have found permanent jobs. 60-120 laborers went through the center a day in 2009. 3,500 jobs have been created through the center. 15-42 jobs went through the center a day in 2009. The center also provides English classes and workshops on safe workplace practice.

More needs to be done to attract employers. Currently workers post flyers and the center advertises on craigslist. The center recognizes the need for this but does not have a set plan to take care of this problem. Three times a week the center sends out people to convince people on the corners to utilize the center.

Indymedia There was a large protest towards the center on September 22, 2008. The Protesters were the Minutemen (an organization for the securing of borders, basically an anti-immigration group). The minutemen would not take interviews from indymedia. The Minutemen think that the center is not an acceptable or conventional channel for finding work.

The counter protesters believe the center protects both employers and employees It also helps to legitimize the process of finding one time labor and protects the workers from getting ripped off The author witnessed the counter-protestors trying to engage in conversation with the protestors The protestors would seldom respond to the counter-protestors questions Portland Jobs with Justice has a large part in organizing opposition to those who protest the labor center.

Willamette Week Raymond Diaz is a local businessman who is fed up with laborers standing in front of his building. Everyday on 6th and Ankeny 25-75 men gather to find work. Diaz has called the Police and the Mayor and nothing has been done. As many as 200 Latinos find day labor in Portland everyday.

Things are getting better for day laborers (wage wise) because of organization but it is still hard. Most laborers work and are in the nation illegally. The working conditions are sub par for them and sometimes they do not get paid. This article was written before the opening of the center but workers already have the idea for one in their heads.

For a long time there has been disputes between business owners in the area and day labor advocacy groups. Even city and state funded dispute resolution sessions hadnt made things easier. Workers Organizing Committee fought hard for day laborer rights. The held a march that stopped INS from deporting workers in this area.

The WOC had many disputes within itself and eventually broke up. VOZ started up in the second floor of St. Francis Parish to help the laborers in the area. VOZ has to secure non-profit status. VOZ is located in a controversial area. VOZ has to win over an alienated business community.

At this point in time, the Central Eastside Industrial Precinct does not want a hiring hall and wants the laborers gone

Portland to Set Up Day Labor Site Jennifer Anderson, The Portland Tribune. July, 24, 2007. This article summarized the then mayor Tom Potters plan to create a 200,000 dollar hire site for day laborers in NE Portland. His purpose was to make a fair and safe place for day laborers where they cannot be arrested for trying to work. Some workers do not like the idea because they feel that the day labor site will have to many regulations and standing on the street waiting for work is easier and better. Other problems summarized in this article include the fact that the migrant workers are viewed as drug dealers and as unsavory by local businesses. Some also say that a place like a day labor site encourages illegal immigration.

Day Labor Center Protester Convicted, Fined $500 Dan Tilkin and KATU Web Staff. August 18, 2008. A Portland man named Tom Wenning was charged with disorderly conduct for a one-man protest against the Day Labor Center. Wenning felt that the center is subsidizing illegal work for immigrants, a major criticism of the center.

Despite losing in court on Monday, Wenning is continuing with a suit against Mayor Tom Potter and three other council members for what he calls using public funds to support illegal activity.

Day Labor Center Opens in Portland FOX 12 Oregon. June 12, 2008 This article is about the opening of the Day Labor center in June of 08. It says that business was slow at the beginning but many advocates expected this because of the time it will take for laborers and people who pick up day laborers to adjust to the new system.

The city financed operation is funded by an immigrant advocacy group called VOZ.

Police are happy with the center as it helps them distinguish between street-corner criminals and day laborers.

The fact about the spot of day laborers in Portland, and who are mainly those laborers The issue of pros and cons of the issue involving some racism and discrimination aspects due to the different backgrounds of the laborers.Hire Ground: Portland Day Laborer Site Opens, is Besieged by Reporters Not Jobs1:08 PM June 16th, 2008 by Beth Slovic

Portland Day Labor Site Opens To Slow HiringBY PETE SPRINGER The legal opinion on the day laborer image from human rights, law, and immigration policies views. Parties who are discussing this issue is a key element of this part.

Portland's Newest Labor Movement? SE 6th & Ankeny Day Laborers May Relocate to New Centerauthor: Lawrence J. Maushard The statement by Bob Wentworth, an important figure and businessman, about the gathering of laborers and how that concerns costumers and employees of the area businesses. An agreement between businesses and advocates of laborers that the new project is a positive change. The effect of day laborers situation on potential lease buildings.

Suggestions of the Wentworth flier: According to Wentworth, There must be a location where you can look for work and employers can easily get too (sic), that does not impact the livelihood of the retail and service oriented business. I ask you to help us find this location. This must be a location that Laborers see as a positive change and we need your help in finding that location. We look forward to hearing from you on where that area might be. We are willing to work with you to educate and direct laborers and employers to this location. We will provide bill boards (sic) fliers and manpower to make this happen. We need to find a solution as soon as possible.

Interview with

Jeri Williams

Neighborhood Program CoordinatorOffice of Neighborhood InvolvementCity Hall, 1221 SW 4th., Rm 110Portland , Oregon 97204ph. 503-823-5827Fax 503-823-3050jeri.williams@ci.portland.or.uswww.portlandonline.com/oni

Facts about Jeri and the organization she used to work for: Jeri Williams Office of Neighborhood Involvment Workers Organize Committee (WOC) from 1994-2001 Org. formed under the idea that communities of color work best under communities of color WOC started with hotels

WOC broke off from hotels and moved onto other things including day labor

Some Issues Many wait for work on corners. People think they were drug dealers. Came from other countries to work. Hard life for immigrant workers.

Jeri sympathizes with illegal immigrants.

In America day laborers are unwanted, yet necessary.

The idea that people can be illegal is foreign to her.

WOC meetingsWOC meetings about day labor was based on people talking about what is important to them:

Good impression on community. Problems in 90s with the INS. INS workers would come undercover and beat and deport illegal workers. WOC workers went to San Francisco to see the pre-existing Labor center.

Workers and committees in the city of Portland have been pushing for the center since the 90s.

Jeri has been working on Environmental Justice issues until 2006 when she started working for the city.

Jeri had a part in reviewing grants for day labor center.

In Response to the illegality of the Center Jeri had to sayHow do we in the United states justify our illegal acts towards other countries?

No Human being is illegal. We were all created as equals.

There is a demand for the work and laborers are willing.

Her view on protestors Through the administrative changes in Portland, the day labor center has maintained and been supported by the city.

Former Mayor Tom Potter said all human beings have the right to work.

Politicians see protestors as threat to being elected next time.

How do protests affect the work and the policy? Protesting is not entirely effective when it comes down to government decision.

Jeri sees racism within some of the protestors of the center.

She is a native American citizen and views the similarities between the way white people came to be in control of this land and illegal immigration.

How does the INS feels about the center? The community rose up in the late 1990s and the director of the INS resigned after people stood up to them in the community

Jeri asks: How would it feel being a child and coming home from school and having your parents deported?

What happens to these children in the US?

Foster Care.

How is it fair to take children away from their parents?

Are things better for laborers now that center is there? She said that when she drives by she sees that things are looking up. The laborers now have a bathroom, coffee, place to take a shower etc.

Laborer wages have been stepping up through unification since the 1990s.

Not all workers utilize center.

Center works through lottery and it discourages some.

Workers right outside of center stealing work from people at the center

Jeri says one issue for workers is workers compensation.

Workers are not Every man for himself with the center.

Conditions used to be a lot worse for workers, more dangerous but the labor center is making life better.

VIDEO

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/06/portlands_day_labor_center_cel.htmlhttp://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=118522686140313400http://www.katu.com/news/local/27117064.htmlhttp://www.kptv.com/community/16622045/detail.htmlhttp://www.cockeyed.com/citizen/local/local_labor_finder.shtmlhttp://streetroots.wordpress.com/2009/12/23/day-labor-center-struggles-with-demand-for-work/http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2008/09/379940.shtmlhttp://wweek.com/html/urbanpulse080900.htmlhttp://blogs.wweek.com/news/2008/06/16/portland-day-laborer-site-opens-is-besieged-by-reporters-not-jobs/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8JF2e9wSgohttp://news.opb.org/article/2340-portland-day-labor-site-opens-slow-hiring/http://portlanddaylaborcenter.blogspot.com/2008/10/day-labor-sites-americans-of-all.htmlhttp://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/06/360542.shtmlResources:

Thank you for listening