I have lived in Morgan Hill with my wife and four children for almost 20 years and have been active as a community volunteer in various groups including the South County Dayworker Center that is dear to my heart. The center, which closed last May, was so important to me because, as a first-generation immigrant, I know first hand the many obstacles workers face.
My family and I moved to Stockton when I was four years old. After crossing the border illegally many times in his youth, my father’s former employer, two Italian brothers who owned large walnut and cherry orchards, agreed to sponsor our family so my father would work their lands. They recognized his hard work ethic. Back in 1963, the pathway for legalization for immigrants was simpler than it is now.
The center’s demise last year brought all the volunteers who have worked hard to help our local immigrants back to square one. We’re facing the same challenges we encountered more than seven years ago when we first formed the committee. Our main goal was to improve the workers’ quality of life and to provide a center where they could seek employment in a clean, safe environment with dignity and respect. The committee’s efforts over the years have been filled with many rewards and challenges.
For me, it all began in 2000 when a friend asked me if I could help a small group bring coffee and sweet bread (pan dulce) to the men on Saturday mornings at the corner of Depot Street and E. Main Avenue. It didn’t take long before we were acting as interpreters between the day workers and potential employers, translating their mail and making calls to recoup wages. But most importantly, we began to listen to their stories, the sacrifices they made to get here, their aspirations, triumphs and daily struggles to find and maintain steady work.
After a series of fundraising events and receiving several grants, the committee opened the center in the spring of 2005. It was the product of countless individuals, groups and businesses that donated time, money and materials to the project. However, the wait was worth it. The center’s director, Eloisa Games, was a good fit for the position and she developed a nice rapport with the workers.
The job-to-worker match process was simple. Workers would come in to register and provide their name, contact information and job skills. Then the worker’s name would go on a list on a first-come first-served basis for that day. When a potential employer requested a worker or workers, those on the list would be given priority and there would be a match and they would agree on a dollar amount for their labor.
Right from the start, we began to see the center’s benefits. Residents that otherwise would not pick up workers off the street would feel safe and comfortable to come into the center and hire workers. Some of them became regulars and established good relationships with the workers. Contractors also benefited as they could request workers with specific skills.
While the workers waited for job offers for the day, Eloisa implemented a program that included English classes taught by Alejandra Gomez, informational workshops, health check-ups, and skills training. The center had a TV with VCR and a library of videos donated by the public and a few computers. But the most popular activity was assembling puzzles (rompe cabezas). It was not uncommon to see a group of men working together to assemble one while they waited indoors.
“I still see workers standing in the street,” was the comment we often heard after the center opened. It was a challenge to get contractors, residents and the workers use the facility. Some contractors would come into the center and ask for workers, but once we asked them to register, give their name and phone number, some would smile and walk away. The workers’ transitional nature also posed a challenge. We were constantly educating them on the services provided by the center and trying to ease their fear that it was safe. No matter how hard we tried, many were apprehensive.
Lack of funding, street improvements on Depot Street and site development plans by property owners Weston Miles Architects closed the center. The local architects had graciously given us a dollar-a-month lease for the site.
When a group of us on the committee broke the news to the workers that the center was closing, they thanked us and all those who had worked on the project. One of the leaders told us, “Don’t worry about us. We’ll follow the jobs. If they are here, fine. If not, we’ll move on.”
After seven years, we’re back to square one.
Mario Bañuelos has lived in Morgan Hill for 19 years. He has served on the South Valley Dayworker Committee and is a member of the Morgan Hill Community Foundation. He’s married and has four children. His column will appear in the Times every two weeks. Reach him at mb*******@*****er.net.
