Thread: Day labor undercuts unions-Union reps are steaming

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Roche: Day labor undercuts unions
By David L. Harris/ Journal Staff
Thursday, September 21, 2006

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."

But Mayor Joe Curtatone said the laborers aren't doing anything illegal.

"Do we know about any law they're breaking?" he said. "We can't just move people around. They're not doing anything illegal."

And if they were, he said, the city is not equipped to deal with the workers.

"We're a municipality with local law enforcement under our jurisdiction," Curtatone said. "We have to be sensitive to the laws we're here to uphold. These individuals are doing nothing wrong. I fear for their own safety. It would be an unrealistic burden to place on the local law enforcement officials."

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.

Another unresolved problem is from neighbors who say the laborers have intruded on their quality of life.

Ward 4 Alderman Walter Pero, who offered an amendment at last Thursday 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."

David Harris can be reached at dharris@cnc.com.

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bh.heraldinteractive.com: www2.townonline.com: 0.094656:Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:26:22 GMT

But Mayor Joe Curtatone said the laborers aren't doing anything illegal.

Being here illegally is still doing something illegal!