A Daily Endeavor : Laborers Use City-Run Site to Find Work

Day laborers, huddling against the early morning chill, with work gloves in hand, peer through the chain-link fence as another day of waiting for work begins.

Instead of the anxiety and confusion of seeking work on the street corners, peace and order are the norm at the city-sponsored Day Labor Program site in North Hollywood. Pastries and fresh-brewed coffee await the workers, all courtesy of the city. Tables, chairs and restrooms are also provided.

Since opening in July, 1990, the Day Labor Program, one of only two in Los Angeles, takes credit for luring day laborers from a nearby corner, where about 150 used to gather daily. Many of them would drink and gamble on the street, often with violent results, said Louis Escobedo, the program’s outreach coordinator.

Rene Vasquez, senior site coordinator, said that employers are more at ease hiring from the site at 11841 Sherman Way. At street corners, they can be swarmed by anxious laborers.

“We’ve had employers come all the way from Santa Clarita to hire workers,” Vasquez said. “That’s a long way to come.”

Workers must comply with the site rules or face expulsion, Vasquez adds. The rules prohibit them from being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, littering, fighting, approaching employers before being selected, or jeering at women passing by.

The facility, which charges no fees for the workers or the employers, opens daily at 5:30 a.m. and closes at 2 p.m.