Observation of a Day Labor Site :: Immigration Labor Essays Papers

Observation of a Day Labor Site The focus of this case study was to observe the new Phoenix day labor site also named â€Å"Macehualli†. This name came from the Aztec language. This site opened on Saturday February first 2003. We visited this site on April 29th 2003 at approximately 8:15 a.m. until around 9:45 a.m. Our goal was to talk with the key people involved in the day labor project. We inquired about this programs working status. Is this program benefiting the people who come here looking for work? We choose this site because of the interest in immigration by the U.S. and how do these immigrants find work in the United States. Our goal is to find out how this pilot program is working, how it is run and has it been successful so far. This study relates to the theme of 0ur migration and culture class because it is all about how people from Mexico migrate to the U.S. and how difficult it can be finding work in the states. The area that this day labor site is in was not what we expected. It is in the North Central area of Phoenix. When driving East on Bell road and turning South on 25th street you pass an area with chain linked fence. We were expecting a building with parking, offices with a lobby area for the workers to sit, indoor restrooms and air conditioning. To our surprise there were no buildings only picnic benches with green tarps above them. Portable outhouses were provided but no misting systems to keep the workers cool during the unbearable summer heat. There was no formal office, just a notebook and containers with lottery tickets in them for the workers to register in. A circular driveway served as a pick up area. Yet these men organized themselves with a system that was working and would find way to entertain themselves by playing the guitar and visiting among themselves. They provided coffee, water and snacks by way of donations that each worker would put into a container on a volunteer basis. Day labor hours are Monday thru Saturday from 5:00 a.m. until around 2:00 p.m. The busier months are April until around October with December and January being the slowest months. On average there are around 175 people looking for work here at the Day Labor Center.