Day Labor Program Urgent Update

On March 7, 2003, La Raza Centro Legal, the non-profit agency that currently administers the San Francisco Day Labor Program received official notification from the office of Mayor Willie Brown that they will no longer receive funding from the City to continue their essential work. Despite the fact that La Raza has had demonstrated success in running the Program for the last three years, the contract was awarded to Volunteers of America (VOA), the only other bidder, an organization with no connection to the community in question, that has entirely failed to address the needs of the workers in Oakland, where it has been administering the local Day Labor Program. The funding which was denied to La Raza included the past due amount for running the program for the fiscal year of 2002-2003 (which includes services provided from July 2002 through present.) While La Raza pledges to continue running the Day Labor Program, that the City will default on expected funds, in addition to denying future sponsorship, is a major blow to an agency already facing severe economic hardships.

La Raza Centro Legal is filing an appeal of the decision on the basis of extreme bias within the Technical Review Committee process. Jennifer Friedenbach, a member of the six-person committee, stated in a letter of complaint to Ron Vincent of the Mayor’s office, “I have been a member of dozens of technical review panels for Department of Health Services, and Department of Public Health. I have never been a part of one that has been even close to being so blatantly biased and ‘rigged’.” While La Raza’s proposal included self-provision of a site for the program, a plan with demonstrated success in addressing workers’ needs (including housing, education, and healthcare), Volunteers of America expected the city to purchase a new building on its behalf and failed to offer any comprehensive plan to provided the necessary services. Furthermore the VOA’s utter lack of respect for and connection to the community in question was evident in its proposal to “educate day laborers on how to use the bathroom” and intension of “contacting the SPANISH consulate for cultural information.” VOA has openly collaborated with Oakland Police in their unjust harassment of Day Laborers, which includes forcibly removing them from the sidewalks where they await work. As Friedenbach concluded, “In my experienced opinion, there would be no way for VOA to get a higher score then La Raza, based on information provided in the proposals.”

In addition, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund is filing a lawsuit in Federal Court on behalf of La Raza Centro Legal against the Mayor and the City of San Francisco for violation of the agency’s First Amendment Rights to protest. The Mayor’s campaign against the program began after the laborers’ organized a demonstration last spring in response to escalated levels of repression by Mission neighborhood police officers. This treatment became more pronounced immediately following the appointment of Captain Greg Corrales to the Mission Police Station last year. Captain Corrales, who was recently indicted in connection with the SFPD cover-up scandal and remains under investigation, has spearheaded a campaign of repression against workers on Cesar Chavez Street. The harassment included officers forcing laborers from the sidewalks, citing employers who stopped their vehicles to pick up workers, and demanding that laborers exit employers vehicles. Several workers were even arrested for simply leaning against buildings on Cesar Chavez Street. Workers have filed reports with the Office of Citizen Complaints, and the Day Labor Program will be attending the Police Commission Hearing on Wednesday, March 26th at 5:30 PM to ask for the immediate dismissal of Captain Corrales from his current position. Public support is greatly appreciated. Contact Renee Saucedo at (415) 553-3404 for further information. Letters of concern can be sent to Mayor Willie Brown at: City Hall Room 336, 1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Way, San Francisco, CA, 94102.