City of Portland donates $200,000 to day labor site

the Portland Tribune

A controversial day labor site in the city of Portland on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Everett street has been delayed from May 6 to June 16, 2008 in order to have time to organize the program, award contracts and work out a good neighbor agreement with nearby businesses.

The program led by Mayor Tom Potter and the Portland city Council awarded the nonprofit Voz: workers rights in education Project $200,000 in city funds to operate the site for two years.

Potter and other supporters believe that the workers needed shelter, protection from abuse and places to stand that doesn't disrupt nearby businesses and traffic.


Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the Los Angeles National Day Laborer Organizing Network, commented that the delay with was a wise idea after visiting the site.“I think there has to be more intensive outreach effort toward employers. The first challenge is to maintain same number of jobs you get at the corner, and have to have nicer infrastructure. If you have an empty lot, how do you expect workers to come in? What’s the difference between that and the streets?”
Not everybody is in favor of the idea of having a day labor site in their area. "Having that many people concentrated in one area, what's going to happen?", Said Richmond of Ed's Auto Lectric.

what about employment agencies? I was under the impression that is traditionally where employers would go to find workers and more importantly, why is the city funding a project like this?

Although it is easy to say that stereotypically day labor sites are used for illegals, the sign in front of the new site reinforces a certain segment of the population. The colorful hand-painted sign posted on the fence reads.... N “La Nueva Fecha Para abrirel centro es el 16 De Junio. The new opening date of the day labor center is June 16. — gracias.”