Thread: Alderman: Get day laborers out of the city

http://www2.townonline.com/somerville/l ... eid=576426

Alderman: Get day laborers out of the city
By David L. Harris
Friday, September 15, 2006 - Updated: 02:57 PM EST

Union reps are steaming over contractors picking up day laborers in Foss Park and aldermen are now proposing a ban on those same contractors.

Some of those laborers, who number as many as 100 on a typical weekday morning, are illegal immigrants.

“This is not targeting illegal immigrants,” said Ward 1 Alderman Bill Roche, who fears a “bloody” battle between union reps and the laborers. “This could turn disastrous. If this was happening in Dilboy Stadium or Davis Square, this wouldn’t be tolerated.”

Roche said one representative of the painter’s union said they were angry that contractors were turning to day laborers, who typically make $6 or $7 per hour, as opposed to the union wage of around $25 an hour.

Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero, who offered an amendment at last night’s Board of Aldermen meeting that would ban the contractors from city limits, agreed. “The aldermen’s intent it to stop the problem. It’s not our intent to disperse these people to other parts of the city,” said Pero.

Other aldermen supported some kind of measure.

“I’ve certainly seen these numbers increase,” said Alderman-at-Large Denise Provost. “They are probably evading the prevailing wage laws.”

about time some Union members wake up!!