Site for Day Laborers to Gather Considered

Glendale officials may designate a gathering site for day laborers as an alternative to a controversial city proposal that would make it illegal for laborers to solicit work while standing on city sidewalks and streets, Glendale’s human relations ombudsman said.

“We’re leaning in that direction, but we have to locate some property,” Community Relations Coordinator Richard M. Reyes said. “Where that location is, who’s got the property, we don’t know yet.”

For the past two weeks, Reyes has met separately with leaders of four Los Angeles-based Latino rights groups, members of the clergy and residents who oppose the proposed city law.

Reyes said he will meet with Glendale’s assistant city manager today to discuss the issue and probably will schedule a joint public meeting next week with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles, the refugee aid group El Rescate and the Central American Refugee Center in Los Angeles.

“They all expressed a desire to meet and get involved with us, possibly to brainstorm and come up with alternate solutions,” Reyes said.

Linton Joaquin, executive director of the Central American Refugee Center, said Reyes stopped by his office last week but “we really didn’t get into specifics” regarding the labor issue.

“We’re very eager to have a meeting,” said Joaquin, who said he favors establishing a city-approved site for the laborers to congregate.

Modeled on Phoenix Ordinance

The Glendale proposal that set off the series of meetings is patterned after an ordinance passed in Phoenix, Glendale City Atty. Frank R. Manzano said.

If adopted, it would make it illegal for laborers to solicit work from city sidewalks and streets and for contractors and others to hire them.

City officials ordered the proposal after merchants complained that laborers who gather outside a paint store at Broadway and Jackson Street cause traffic tie-ups and disrupt business.

Violations would be considered misdemeanors and would carry fines of up to $250, Manzano said.

Joaquin and others who spoke against the ordinance during a highly publicized City Council hearing Aug. 9 said it would restrict rights to free speech and assembly and would be morally wrong because it would make it illegal for people to look for work.

Council members were expected to adopt the ordinance that day but were persuaded by the speakers to postpone their decision and consider alternatives.

City Council members are scheduled to vote on the issue Oct. 4.