day labor centers

[KevinTheOmnivore]

I know this has become an issue across the country, but it has become a huge issue near me.

In Herndon, VA, The town/city/whatever is proposing to use tax dollars to build a day labor center for the migrant workers to hang out in during the day, until they presumably find work that day.

So yes, it's tax money being used to possibly promote the hiring of illegals. Sounds like an obvious mistake, right? Well, I'm inclined to say yes, but I think the town government makes a good case.

The migrants otherwise hang out outside the 7-11 in town all day (they do the ssame near me, maybe 7-11 is code). The town argues that this hurts business, intimidates morning commuters, and detracts from the overall "image" of their town. So, by building the day labor center, they basically want to hide these people.

Okay, maybe it isn't a very strong argument on second thought......

[theapportioner]

How do these centers work? Is it basically a marketplace where "buyers" and "sellers" can meet?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

I'm not entirely sure. I know that often Catholic Churches (if the have the facilities) will often serve a similar purpose, and they'll give out a free brown bag lunch for the day, and other than that, I dunno.

I'm not sure though, I'll have to follow up on that. :/

[KevinTheOmnivore]

I just had to share a pic of the laborers outside the 7-11 from an anti-immgration site:

[sadie]

7-11 has always symbolized two things for me: icees and pornography. the one in my town closed down when i was a girl for something concerning the porn they sold. i'd never heard that word before.

[El Blanco]

The ones by me hang out at the Gold's Gym.....or so I've been told. I don't go near the place.

Anyway, I think this is a bad idea. Its basically giving up.

"We can't be bothered to stop you, so we'll just make sure you don't make this a total cluster fuck."

How about putting this money towards naturalizing and training them?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Yeah, I guess if I knew what were going on in the center, I'd have a stronger opinion. I mean, I saw one group argue that they could have random INS (or whatever it is now) spot checks there, thus actually usuing the place as a way to nail illegals.

All i've seen is a budget to build the place, but if it's just a place to hide these people, then I'd say bad idea. Anyway, the local news said the town board was leaning towards approving it.....

[Dr. Boogie]

If they do have random INS searches, won't they eventually figure that out and just go back to waiting in front of 7/11's again?

[kellychaos]

Usted acaba de ganar el informe de la loterÃ*a... a 7-11 para demandar su premio.

[AChimp]

Day labor centres are places where bums go to sit around all day when it's too cold or hot to be outside. We have one in Winnipeg. My bus goes by it everyday.

If you think that those people are getting any work, you are kidding yourself.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

You are by far the most American Canadian I've ever encountered.

[AChimp]

LOL. I'm just pointing out that a "day labour centre" is merely a replacement for 7-11. People are tired of the darkies blocking the path to smokes and lottery tickets, so they decide to build a special place for them to go, effectively keeping them out of sight instead of solving the problem. Calling it a recreation centre (free coffee and colour TV while you "wait" for the jobs to come pouring in!) is a more accurate term.

They're bums for a reason. They can't or won't work.

[El Blanco]

They don't call it the Great White North because of the landscape.

But, ya, I didn't even think of that. Just get them out of sight all together.


But then. they'll form their own little communities in these places and thats opens a whole new world of problems.

[Mike P]

I enjoy the fact that people treat children and immigrants in the same way. Namely, building day care centers for both to keep them out of trouble.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by AChimp

LOL. I'm just pointing out that a "day labour centre" is merely a replacement for 7-11. People are tired of the darkies blocking the path to smokes and lottery tickets, so they decide to build a special place for them to go, effectively keeping them out of sight instead of solving the problem. Calling it a recreation centre (free coffee and colour TV while you "wait" for the jobs to come pouring in!) is a more accurate term.

They're bums for a reason. They can't or won't work.

I don't know how true this is. A lot of these guys are young men with families, and if landscapers or construction workers weren't showing even the slightest interest outside the 7-11, then I think they wouldn't go there. :/

It's true though, if there's no pragmatic purpose for this place, other than hiding undesirable people, then it's certainly a bad idea.

[kellychaos]

As they are a 24-hour store, manual-labor-type workers most likely go to 7-11's because it's the only place open at that hour for which to buy a coffee, paper and suitably nasty breakfast sandwhich while on their way to work. Keen immigrants noticed that fact and industriously annoyed said workers on their way to work. A day labor center would not offer this level of conveinience.

[Archduke Tips]

Lead them like lambs to the slaughter.

[kellychaos]

They used to catch people on bench warrants by sending mailers to their houses announcing that they had just won a large-screen TV and that they were required to go to such-and-such and address to claim their prize with amazing positive results.

[El Blanco]

I've heard that actually working a lot. In fact, its supposedly still pretty common amongst law enforcement.