A three-year effort to ease the dayworker situation in Morgan
Hill has brought recognition and a medal to the local project.
County Supervisor Don Gage, who made the nomination, presented the
South County Dayworker Committee with a Unity in Diversity
Achievement Award in San Jose Friday.
A three-year effort to ease the dayworker situation in Morgan Hill has brought recognition and a medal to the local project.
County Supervisor Don Gage, who made the nomination, presented the South County Dayworker Committee with a Unity in Diversity Achievement Award in San Jose Friday. The awards were presented by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on County Unity in Diversity Day. Committee chair Julian Mancias accepted the award.
“I’m proud of the award and was happy to accept it on behalf of the board,” Mancias said Monday. “They put in so much work.”
He attended the ceremony with center director America Romero and committee members Mary Martinez and Sue Koep-Baker.
Mancias said the award would also bring attention to the Dayworker Center, which should open in a few weeks.
“People will know what we are doing and why – and that we are serious and legitimate,” Mancias said.
The committee has been instrumental in organizing portables on Depot Street at East Main Avenue to function as a place to collect workers who currently line Main and Depot hoping for day work. When the center opens the men would have a hiring hall out of the weather, with restrooms, where employers can find them. Liaison workers will match employee with the job and translate details such as hours, pay and conditions so both sides know what they are contracting for.
The Dayworker Committee, originally started by Father Eugene O’Donnell of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, now includes Mario Banuelas, Janet Leach, Juan Diaz, Mary Martinez, Tran Nguyen, Bill Keig, Tim Hendricks, Koep-Baker and Mancias.
“And, of course,” Mancias said, “(Councilwoman) Hedy Chang has been the driving force.”
Koep-Baker said she was impressed with the understanding Gage had of the situation.
“His office really did their homework,” Koep-Baker said. “(Gage) knew it started with Father Gene, added community and city support, and he mentioned the broader aspect of what we are trying to do.”
She said Gage recognized that the center is an economic and human project and not just a mission.
“We need to get under way before we can do anything on a broader scale, such as housing,” Koep-Baker said. “This (realism) is quite refreshing from a government official,” she said.
Mancias said he was especially pleased when Gage spoke.
“Not everybody approved of this project but we moved it forward,” Mancias said.
The committee’s work on the portables housing the center is almost complete and waits for final site work by Weston Miles Architects. The firm is renting the land to the committee for $1 a month.
