Thread: TX: Day laborers want JUSTICE!!!

Day laborers discuss poor work conditions
By: Josh Haney
Posted: 4/2/07

Half of all day laborers have experienced wage theft in the last two months and 44 percent of laborers are denied food or water breaks while on the job, according to a written statement from the Workers Defense Project, an organization that focuses primarily on day laborers in the Austin area.

The organization held the Regional Day Labor Assembly on Saturday to discuss possible solutions to problems the day laborer population faces.

Current government propositions, such as President Bush's guest-worker program, do not adequately solve the complex issue of immigrant workers said Emily Timm, a representative from the Workers Defense Project.

"[The proposed guest-worker program] will create a second tier of workers who would be tied to their employers," Timm said.

This dependence would put the responsibility of laborers' well-being largely in the hands of the businesses that hire them, and this could prove disastrous given the abuses that have already been reported, she said.

Legislation such as the Day Labor Fairness and Protection Act, a bill that many of these community organizers support, would offer these laborers some protection under the law as well as prohibit the use of day laborers as replacement workers when a strike breaks out.

"Day laborers provide essential labor in the Texas workforce and we believe that policy measures such as the Day Labor Protection Act are necessary to address the rampant abuses against working men and women who deserve respect for their hard work," said Rep. Eddie Rodriguez D-Austin, who introduced the bill, in a press release.

Many argue that the increased pressure from the U.S. government and law enforcement agencies is a necessary step in solving the immigration crisis. However, day laborers who spoke at the assembly said that it sometimes results in workers refusing medical attention when they are injured on the job, as well as failing to report wage theft and other abuses in the workplace out of fear of deportation.

Day laborers from throughout Texas and Louisiana were asked to attend and share their experiences.

Guadalupe Rodriguez, a day laborer and community organizer who has lived in the Austin area for three years, said he severely injured his foot on a construction site where he worked last summer. Rodriguez, due to his immigration status, said he was afraid of seeking out medical assistance and potentially losing the opportunity that working in this country provides him and his family. After three days of unemployment, he returned to work with his foot swollen to the point where it would not fit in his boot, he said.

Rodriguez said he received no financial compensation for his injuries from his employer.

"As a country, we are at our best when we overcome these 'us versus them' fears that divide us. We are at our best when we recognize equality and justice and human dignity and we owe a comprehensive immigration reform process to these folks and also to ourselves," said Rebecca Smith, a staff attorney and West Coast coordinator at the National Employment Law Project.

Guadalupe Rodriguez, a day laborer and community organizer who has lived in the Austin area for three years, said he severely injured his foot on a construction site where he worked last summer. Rodriguez, due to his immigration status, said he was afraid of seeking out medical assistance and potentially losing the opportunity that working in this country provides him and his family. After three days of unemployment, he returned to work with his foot swollen to the point where it would not fit in his boot, he said.

He did not say who the employeer was. The employeer should be made to pay for all medical costs plus costs of deportation. That would be justice..

Originally Posted by TyRANTosaur

Guadalupe Rodriguez, a day laborer and community organizer who has lived in the Austin area for three years, said he severely injured his foot on a construction site where he worked last summer. Rodriguez, due to his immigration status, said he was afraid of seeking out medical assistance and potentially losing the opportunity that working in this country provides him and his family. After three days of unemployment, he returned to work with his foot swollen to the point where it would not fit in his boot, he said.

Rodriguez said he received no financial compensation for his injuries from his employer.

Boo hoo hoo. He shouldn't receive any compensation for his injuries, he needs to go home period. This is the problem with employers though. If this were one of my employees, he would be covered because he is LEGAL. These employers are putting the rest of us out of business because they aren't paying the huge liability, health, and workman's comp insurances!

I'm glad the criminal aliens are getting a taste of what the American people are having to digest every day. We've wanted justice for years and all we get is the political finger. Now it's your turn illegals!

We don't need day loabors or day labor facilities.

Hello! We have temp agencies that fill this need.

Only illegal aliens need to stand out on the corner looking for work.

This is BS, everyone else (those legally able to work in the US) can get a job through an agency.

Dixie

Deport the illegals and then they will not have to worry about their wages being stolen by the bad american employers. Oh yes first make them work of the fence for six months.

Half of all day laborers have experienced wage theft in the last two months and 44 percent of laborers are denied food or water breaks while on the job, according to a written statement from the Workers Defense Project, an organization that focuses primarily on day laborers in the Austin area.

Don't the illegals see what's going on here? Don't they see that most businesses aren't interested in hiring them unless they can do so at the very lowest of wages, and under the worst of labor conditions? If companies have to adhere to labor laws, pay fair wages, and treat their employees with dignity and fairness...well, they'll just hire legal American citizens! The whole draw to employers to hire the illegals is the fact that they can exploit them and get away with it.

The illegals are in a no-win situation. They're exploited and used here, but if they demand rights (and get them), very few will be interestd in hiring them.

They need to go back to Mexico and fight for a better life there. American employers' interest in them is only as modern-day slaves.

This day labor crap has to stop, we do not need low class people loitering on the street corners or in front of peoples businesses. Women or young girls can't even walk down the street in their own towns anymore as nobody taught these people any manners.

If they do not have a steady job in this country they need to go home, and if we have them hanging out on our corners we do not need GUEST WORKERS get it we have to many already!!!!

AMERICANS want JUSTICE

I don't think it is justice these illegals truly want. If they got JUSTICE they would be sent home and not allowed to return. What they want is mercy and a shoulder to cry on. They are getting that by the fact that they are allowed to assemble and gripe about supposed mistreatment while ICE does nothing to round them up and send them packing.

"What a country!!!"