By Diane Weissman
While providing a toilet for day workers on El Camino is a humane step to take, it’s not going to address the real environmental impact. Day workers gather on El Camino because it’s profitable to do so.
While some people seeking workers go to the very well organized St. Joseph the Worker Center in Mountain View, there are still many employers and homeowners who pick up workers from El Camino. It is these people who are responsible for the gathering of workers on the street corners.
Potential employers are asked only for their name and contact phone number when they go to St. Joseph the Worker Center.
The center’s staff match the employer with workers who meet their needs, both in terms of the type of work to be done and the level of English comprehension needed. A rate of pay is clearly established in advance, to avoid misunderstandings for either party.
The center has provided an opportunity for workers to form a community and provide mutual support.
Workers volunteer to prepare shared meals for everyone, food donations are distributed equitably, and a system of worker registration ensures that everyone has their turn at finding a job.
Community volunteers, such as myself, go regularly to help the workers learn basic English; the fire department of Mountain View recently provided Community Emergency Response Team training; and other groups supply education on civic and other community issues.
Maria Marroquin, the center’s manager, has done such a wonderful job of organizing the workers that she was recently recognized in Sacramento as Woman of the Year for Assembly District 22 after being named by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber.
Why is it that all potential employers of day workers don’t go to the center? Is it because they don’t know it exists or how to find it? (From El Camino, go east on Escuela Avenue a few blocks until you reach California Street. The center is in the church on the corner. Enter from the far side. You will be very welcome.) Or is it because they don’t intend to honor the pay agreement they made with the workers? Sadly, this happens.
If you, the armchair reader, want to do something about the issue of workers gathering on our street corners, go out there and hand out fliers to educate potential employers as to the consequences of their behavior and redirect them to the center.
Better still, go to the center and hire some workers to do this for you, or simply send a check with instructions on how the money should be used to St. Joseph the Worker Center, 1880 California St., Mountain View, CA 94040.
The center is a registered organization and will send you a tax receipt for your donation.
Please remember that it’s the residents of our communities who are ultimately responsible for the congregation of workers. The day workers are simply doing the work that residents don’t want to do themselves.
