Program offers safe haven, jobs for day workers
By Caroline Mooser
As immigrant day workers marched at the annual Downtown Spring Family Parade on Saturday, they displayed their pride in serving the city of Mountain View, Calif., while showing off their van -- which Santa Clara students helped decorate -- to cheering bystanders.
Since its inception in 1996, the Day Worker Center of Mountain View has provided a safe place for workers to gather, receive health services, learn English, share a meal and find work.
The center's executive director, MarÃa MarroquÃn, acts as the link between workers and employers. MarroquÃn once saw herself in a similar position as the workers she now helps, according to volunteer Steve Chandler. "MarÃa began as a day worker," he said. "Then on the streets, as she was with other day workers, she began to help them."
MarroquÃn envisioned a center where workers could congregate in a safe setting and be hired by reliable and trustworthy employers who were respectful of the workers' rights. Workers are paid at least $10 per hour for jobs including plumbing, painting, landscaping, electrical work and housecleaning.
Chandler says the center informs employers about the federal government's reporting requirements for hiring day workers.
The Day Worker Center is not required to turn in the reports, but employers are. "We're a nonprofit organization that helps to connect a day worker with employers," said Chandler. "If we started acting like an employer, then it would jeopardize our status."
Marta Langland, coordinator of Santa Clara Community Action Program's English as a Second Language off-campus program said, "Students are given the opportunity to engage with the workers, create relationships with them and learn about the reality of so many hard-working individuals. I think it is important for workers at the center to see students supporting them." She added, "The workers do a lot in our lives that we may not even recognize."
Félix, a day worker at the center, explained the impact Santa Clara student volunteers made on his life by teaching him English. "The volunteers, well, they have a lot of patience. It's a one-on-one practice in a conventional classroom. You realize that the person is really interested in teaching you and they evaluate the level you're at and increase your potential to learn."
Félix mentioned that if several day workers are on a job together and one person speaks English, that person acts as an interpreter. In addition, while work is given to the day workers based on a rotating list, those attending ESL classes receive priority for hire.
Langland echoed the day workers' appreciation of the students being there. "The workers at the center are always entirely grateful to the student volunteers for their time and invite each student to stay longer, eat lunch at the center and continue the cross-cultural conversations and relationships."
The students also benefit from the worker-volunteer exchange. ESL volunteer Katie Kershaw explained, "I love talking to them, the workers, and it's so helpful in exercising my own Spanish." She said that hearing the day workers' life stories is another reason she volunteers. "A lot of them are really moving and inspirational."
Housed in Trinity United Methodist Church, the center recently purchased a new facility. Use of the new center, however, faces opposition from some neighbors and anti-immigrant factions. The final hearing for the new facility permit will take place on May 12, at which time the workers will learn if they will be able to use the new facility.
Félix expressed concern about the neighbors hearing rumors that the day workers' presence would detract from their homes' value.
"I'm confident that everything will turn out well and that the counsel will support us, but the neighbors have the support of an anti-immigration group," he said. "I think they don't know how the center works and that we're not going to cause anything bad," he said.
Santa Clara students can support day workers by participating in the rally on Friday, May 1 at 1 p.m. outside Shapell Lounge, which will be followed by a trip to the immigration rally in San José, Calif. Students can also volunteer with SCCAP's on- or off-campus ESL tutoring programs.
Trips to the Day Worker Center of Mountain View take place on Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Contact Langland at mlangland@scu.edu or visit www.dayworkercentermv.org.
Contact Caroline Mooser at (408) 551-1918 or cmooser@scu.edu.
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