New York, NY (April 28th, 2020) – The Day Labor Workforce Initiative (DLWI) is calling for immediate relief and protections for day laborers and immigrant workers from the city, state, and federal governments. As New York City’s “secondary responders” day laborers and immigrant workers make sure that our city continues to operate safely in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. As the city starts to make progress in controlling the spreadof coronavirus and elected officials begin to implement plans to help New Yorkers recover from this disaster, day laborers, immigrant workers, low-income workers and their families are being left out once again.
Immigrant New Yorkers make up almost half of the city’s workforce and are currently experiencing the highest rate of unemployment. In addition, 70% of the city’s undocumented labor force consists of essential workers providing the most crucial services such as food delivery and cleaning services. Providing economic support to these workers will ensure that our communities are not devastated by this crisis and the entire city’s economic recovery is swifter. Economic relief must be made available to all New Yorkers. This is not only a moral imperative, it’s also a sound fiscal decision.
Day laborers and immigrant workers put their own safety at risk by continuing to work in order to ensure that our workplaces and homes are clean and disinfected, that our food is being delivered, and that essential services are still being provided to those who need them. Nevertheless, most day laborers are facing loss of jobs, economic insecurity, precarious housing, and unpaid bills and are unable to access most, if not all, forms of relief provided by the city, state, and federal government. The long-term economic impact of this crisis will be devastating for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of hard-working New Yorkers and their families who rely on them for support. New York City will not recover fiscally until they recover, too. Economic supports that bring NYC out of the COVID recession should not deepen existing inequities.
We join our communities, advocates, and other non-profit institutions in demanding the city and state provide direct economic relief to day laborers and other immigrant workers who cannot access federal, state, and local relief efforts
Support and protections for day laborers and other frontline workers including PPE, hazard pay, and protections from wage theft other forms of employer abuse
An equitable workforce transition and recovery plan including funding for non-profits supporting day laborers
Far too often low-wage and immigrant workers, who do not have access to available safety net programs, are left out of disaster responses while bearing the brunt of the difficult and dangerous work that comes in the wake of these disasters. Policymakers at the state and the city have a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of these workers and must act now to prevent immigrant workers, their families, and communities from catastrophe.
“I have no papers, I have a 12 year old son and I was widowed a year ago. I have been ill since last week, my son has been ill, overnight they said no more work then we were out of work. I am one of the people who go to the day, we do not have savings,” said Antonia Díaz, a house cleaner, working with the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights ”it is no longer like 15 years ago when I arrived here when I could leave a job and grab another. The person to whom I rent a room is asking me for the rent, but right now you can’t because there is no job. And I tell myself where the government’s help is, it’s not for me, it’s for my son. I don’t know if we are getting sicker from being locked up and pressured by the rent or the virus that is out there.”
“Before the pandemic, we knew that immigrant workers were extremely vulnerable. Now, as the pandemic forces our government to see the essential nature of their labor, words are not enough.” Said New York City Councilmember Carlos Menchaca. ” We need action to prove that we care about these workers and their families. That is why I am joining the Day Labor Workforce Initiative in calling for an expansion and guaranteed economic relief and transition plan for day laborers. We must not let this crisis exacerbate the inequalities we know are there.”
“Workers’ Justice Project (WJP) members, mostly Brooklyn day laborers have been on the front lines of NYC’s major recovery and reconstruction efforts since 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy” said Ligia Guallpa, Executive Director of Worker’s Justice Project (WJP). “During the pandemic, day Laborers continue to be essential in the cleanup and recovery efforts, while being exposed to the deep inequalities that we already know exist in the wealthiest city in the country. The rapid spread of COVID-19 is hitting immigrant New Yorkers hard, and especially day laborers who have always experienced precarious working conditions, discrimination, and racism, and are ineligible to receive government aid,”
“Immigrants are on the frontlines during this pandemic providing essential services to enable us to function in this crisis,” said Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, ” Immigrant workers, including day laborers deliver our food, clean and repair our facilities, care for the sick, drive our buses and trains, and so much more. The health of our immigrant neighbors is even more important now, for themselves, and for all of us. Now is not the time to allow immigration status to endanger our public health safety.”
“When New York City has needed them, after 9-11, after Superstorm Sandy, and during construction booms, to build, rebuild, and clean city residences and streets, day laborers were hired to work at low wages and at great personal risk. Today, day laborers and all migrant workers are calling upon New York to say that accepting their labor also means accepting their humanity.” Said Nadia Marin-Molina Co-Executive Director National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON). ” New York City and New York State should demonstrate to the country that there is a clear alternative to Trumpism, by creating emergency funds for migrant workers, ensuring that workers are protected on the job, and supporting day laborer organizations that are responding to the coronavirus crisis.”
