Day laborers sit inside Bay Parkway Community Job Center on September 28,

New York must stand up for immigrant workers rebuilding Sandy-hit areas

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[caption id="attachment_2358" align="alignleft"]Day laborers sit inside Bay Parkway Community Job Center on September 28, __fg_link_0__ 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.John Moore/Getty ImagesDay laborers sit inside Bay Parkway Community Job Center on September 28, __fg_link_1__ 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. John Moore/Getty Images[/caption]Hurricane Sandy struck fast and furious, and when the waters receded it became clear just how much money and people power it would take to put New York City back together. 

As the cleanup began, another reality became clear. Immigrant construction workers, especially day laborers, who became first responders after the hurricane were operating as an underclass in an under-regulated construction industry.

Women at the Fore of the Day Laborer Movement

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When I first went to a day laborer corner to offer training about wage theft, some people looked at me like I was out of place. After all, I was the only woman in a crowd of a hundred day laborers who looked for work every day in our nation’s capitol. 

 

But the truth is that I’m one of many women who proudly participate in the day laborer movement for worker and human rights. I organize among day laborers because both my parents were immigrant workers who faced similar struggles. While the majority of day laborers are men, women play a vital role as both laborers and organizers. 

What the Government Should Be Verifying: Jobs, Training, and Safety

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In America, we desperately need to address the hardships everyday people increasingly face. As Rep. Lamar Smith points out, unemployment rates in the U.S. have reached nearly 10%. Those who do have jobs increasingly face lower wages, longer hours, and less protections at the work site.

To address the challenges U.S. workers and the unemployed are facing, Washington has an unprecedented opportunity to invest in job creation, workplace safety, and training opportunities that would usher those excluded from the workforce into meaningful employment.

To raise the floor for struggling and working families, we need policies that grow our economy, ensure job security, and offer new opportunities. We don’t need more scapegoating.