Colby, Joe, Andrew, Ana, Ellen

Seminar A

The Centreville Immigration and Day Laborer Community

How many of you have seen workers by stores?

Our GoalOur RING’s goal is to conduct research about the day laborers in Centreville

We did so through answering specific questions regarding the Centreville Immigration Forum and it’s effect upon the community

How do the day laborers interact with one another, with their community, and the Centreville Immigration Forum?

What are the day laborers’ needs in the development of a worker’s center?

*Day Laborers – Immigrants who decide to work on a for hire basis, i.e. migrant workers

Community Partners• “The Centreville Immigration Forum is

a Group of Neighbors Working Together to Enhance the Quality of Life

for Immigrants in the Centreville Community”

• The organization was founded in late 2007

• Working to currently build work center estimated at $30,000

• Provides lasting connections for immigrants and day laborers. Even offers an English as a Second Language class

• CIF: Alice Foltz, Connie Rojas, Al Fuertes

Literature ReviewWe came up with the following categories:

Immigration Settlement, Working Conditions, Impact on Families, Worker Centers, Politics of Immigration and Undocumented Immigrants/Immigration

We clarified common misconceptions and helped build a strong background before going out to the field for field study

Precautions before arriving to the field were discussed such as the language barrier

Awesome Fun Activity Time!

Misconceptions of Day Laborers

Due to misconceptions and stereotypes, many people do not view day laborers workers as equals

Sadly, they are mistreated on a day-to-day basis

Employers end up paying them less than minimum wage for laborious jobs

Our job is to find ways to help improve their quality of job and life in whatever way we possibly can

Qualitative

Observational Research (Day Laborers and Community)

Focus Groups – asked questions to community leaders and day laborers

Interviews

Quantitative

Survey Group

How We Conducted Research

Observational Research (Day Laborers)

Workers stood in groups of 3-5

Mostly Hispanic

18 or older

Very casual dress for workers

Some laborers arrived via means of their own transportation including cars or bikes

Main Intersection by Centreville Library and Giant

Foods

Residential Area Looking Towards Centreville

Library on LEft

Observational Research (Community)

The community barely interacted with migrant workers

A few times, people walking on the sidewalk past day laborers would instead move to the opposite sidewalk as to not be around them

A few people driving glanced over, but never stopped

Focus Groups

Two Focus Groups of Day Laborers

One Group of Community Members

Focus Groups contd.

Survey Group

Laborers are from Guatemala with families to support financially

Programs most beneficial during their stay in the U.S. worker center, ESL, and health assistance

They would want financial planning, health checks, continued ESL and job training

Some being that the worker center is of utmost importance, with 9 of the 9 surveys saying that it need to be built

While most felt that on average that they had been paid what they were promised, they did not feel respected or cared for by their employers

These are programs that the workers voted on that they would want to have. Not necessarily through the Worker Center, just things they would like.

Beneficial Programs

This question was rephrased to include the worker center, what do they want to have out of the worker center.

What the Day laborers Want

Shows where the workers were born, where they came from.

Country of Origin

Country of Origin

How long they have been working in America.

Time in America

On a scale of 1 to 5, express your experience with workers.

Experience with Workers

InterviewsUsed consent forms

Interviewed 6 day laborers

Shared themes: Support for the center

“I cannot be taken advantage of if there is a center. I think that it is very important, and beneficial” – Roberto

“The center will give workers a bathroom, water, and heat.” – Luis

Struggle with English:

Workers appreciated the ESL lessons at the library but they did not incorporate vocabulary necessary for daily life

“I learned English while I went to school in Guatemala, however it is different speaking it fluently here. I learn English now by asking for help from others around me.” - Roberto

Recommendations

More ESL classes are needed, with expanded vocabulary practice for workers.

Workers need specific information about how and when the Center will be developed.

CIF could do more in telling the story of these workers so that the community understands their needs and challenges.

CIF could work to educate prospective employers about the need to treat workers with respect and dignity.

Questions???

• Thank you for listening.