Located at:
Clinton Street Theater
2522 SE Clinton Street
March 25, 7pm

Tickets will be sold for $6 general admission, $5 students and $4 seniors.

The preview may be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89OpDnOtwDw

Jornaleros trailer

Photo courtesy of Douglas Yarrow

Photo courtesy of Douglas Yarrow

El Fiscal general de Estado de Oregon John Kroger estuvo en las oficinas de VOZ el 19 de Febrero de 10 a 11:30am en un panel para escuchar testimonios de los jornaleros sobre el robo de salarios. En las historias que los jornaleros relataron se ve la frustración y la desesperación en sus rostros cuando un patrón no paga y mencionaron las escases de abogados del estado y el proceso largo que toma para solucionar un caso. En este panel tuvimos la presencia de varias organizaciones comunitarias, abogados, la comisión de derechos humanos, Kim Bobo escritora de un libro que se llama “Wage Theft” y varios jornaleros. Se dio la historia del programa de salarios no pagado en la organización y los proceses que tenemos para la recuperación de salarios.

John Kroger enfatizo que no es una excusa el no pagar a un trabajador solamente por su estado legal. Diane Schwartz que es la nueva asistente del fiscal dijo que “En el estado de Oregon es un crimen el no pagar a trabajadores, el problema es que nadie lo esta enforzando”.

También se exploro la posibilidad de trabajar juntos para combatir este mal en nuestra comunidad. También se le pidió que este tema sea una prioridad para él y el departamento de industrias.

Haz click para ver el slide show de esta conversación.

Haz clic aquí para la cobertura de Univision Portland del robo de salarios.

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Oregon Attorney General John Kroger spent some time in the VOZ office on the morning of the 19th of February to participate in a panel discussion where he listened to laborers’ testimonies of wage theft. The frustration and despair could be seen on the faces of the laborers as they recounted situations when their employers failed to pay them, citing the small amount of labor laws in the state and the long process it takes to resolve claims for wages. The discussion was attended by various community organizations, lawyers, the human rights commission, laborers, as well as Kim Bobo, author of the book “Wage Theft”. The history of the program’s dealings with unpaid wages was shared, as well as the processes VOZ uses to recover unpaid wages.

Kroger stressed that it is no excuse to withhold a worker’s wages only because of their legal status. The new District Attorney, Diana Schwartz, said […] “in the state of Oregon, it is a crime not to pay workers; the problem is that nobody is enforcing [it].”

The possibility of working together to combat this evil in the community was also explored. It was requested that this issue of wage theft be a priority of Kroger and the Bureau of Labor and Industries.

Click for slide show of the discussion with Attorney General John Kroger, complements of Douglas Yarrow.

Click here for Univision Portland video about wage theft.

Villalobos Protest (Photo courtesy of Douglas Yarrow)

El pasado 15 de Febrero hicimos una protesta pacífica en frente de la casa del Señor Fabian Villalobos dueño de la compañía FBI Painting. Hubo un número de 25 personas entre ellos: organizaciones comunitarias, sindicatos, comunidades de fe y jornaleros. La protesta comenzó a las 7 de la mañana; primeramente fuimos a la casa a tocar en lo cual no nos habrió la puerta, le hicimos una llamada por teléfono que si contesto, pero no estaba contento por lo que estábamos haciendo.

A cada trabajador les debe diferentes números de horas y diferentes fechas por lo que hace un total de $15,846 dólares en salarios que no les ha pagado. Francisco uno de los que trabajo para él dice “Trabaje un día 24 horas, desde las 7 de la mañana hasta las 7 de la mañana del día siguente y no es justo que no nos pague”.
El objetivo de esta protesta es presionar para que pague a los 11 trabajadores que trabajaron para el pintando casas en distintas partes de la ciudad de Portland. Otro de los objetivos es denunciar públicamente para que pare inmediatamente este tipo de abusos contra nuestra comunidad.

El robo de salarios ha sido una epidemia dentro de la comunidad Jornalera y que pasa frecuentemente. Desde que la organización empezó hemos recuperado más de 300,000 dólares de salarios a trabajadores que al principio se negaban pagarles. Aproximadamente recibimos 40 casos por año pero hay un número de casos que no son reportados por temor a ser deportados.

VOZ ha hecho talleres en el centro y en las calles para que conozcan sus derechos básicos como trabajadores y como documentar información sobre los patrones que quieren abusar de ellos.

Haz click para ver el slide show de esta protesta, complementos de Douglas Yarrow.

Haz clic aquí para la cobertura de Univision Portland de la protesta.

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On February 15 we made a peaceful protest in front of the house of Fabian Villalobos, the owner of the company FBI Painting. Amongst the 25 people in protest were various members of community organizations, unions, faith communities, and laborers. The protest began at 7:00 in the morning. First, we went to the house and rang the doorbell, but nobody opened the door to us. Then we made a telephone call to see if Mr. Villalobos would answer—he did, but he was not happy with what we were doing.

Each worker had a different number of hours worked on a variety of different dates, resulting in a total of $15,846 in unpaid wages. Francisco, one of the laborers whom Mr. Villalobos had not paid for work, said, “I worked one day for 24 hours, from 7:00 in the morning until 7:00 the following morning, and it is not fair that he did not pay us.”

The goal of this protest was to pressure Mr. Villalobos to pay the 11 laborers who worked painting houses throughout the city of Portland. Another goal was to publicly denounce and to immediately stop these types of abuses against our community from happening.

Wage theft has been an epidemic within the community of migrant workers that unfortunately happens frequently. Since this organization began, we have recovered more than $300,000 in wages for laborers whom at first were denied pay. We receive approximately 40 wage-related cases per year, but there are a great number of cases that go unreported for the laborers’ fear of deportation.

VOZ has conducted workshops at the center and in the streets to educate laborers of their basic rights as workers, and on how to document information concerning situations when they feel their rights are being abused by employers.

Click to view a slide show of the protest, complements of Douglas Yarrow.

Click here for Univision Portland coverage of the protest.

Combating Wage Theft:

At the VOZ Workers’ Rights Education Project Office, 1131 SE Oak St.
Portland, OR 97214

Photo by Douglas Yarrow

The VOZ Leadership School met this January 15-17 to participate in various workshops and discussions involving issues including concerns about gender at the Day Labor Hire Site; an analysis of the power, stigma, and effect that migrant job-seekers have upon police, businesses and the community at large; what to do before, during, and after a raid; a screening of El Jornalero; and an analysis of the Gutiérrez Bill, currently in Congress. The purpose of the leadership school is to help participants develop leadership skills to raise awareness, and to train and assist day laborers to organize and act within a political agenda based on their interests, leading to a personal and social change.

Photo by Douglas Yarrow

In discussions about the community effects and impressions of migrants seeking work, the participants addressed the ways that police, businesses and other citizens tend to react to the presence of migrant job-seekers on the streets, trying to create a sense of awareness about the misconceptions as well as the interests of all people involved and to come to responsible solutions.

In analysis of the Gutiérrez Bill, participants worked in groups to read through and share the bill.  Though the bill proposes eliminating the ordinance 287G, the cooperative agreement between police and ICE, it proposes boosting cooperation between police and ICE, as well as further utilizing technology, soldiers, and vigilantes at the border—essentially remaining unchanged.

Photo Taken by Douglas Yarrow

Participants also enjoyed poetry, traditional Guatemalan dancing, and some entertainment from some of the children in attendance.

The celebration also presented an opportunity to share the history of immigration and immigration reform, and to address what is currently on the table in relation to the immigration reform bill proposed by Rep. Luis Gutiérrez. The bill is not perceived to be of benefit to many migrants, thus VOZ will be lobbying representatives in Congress to ensure that reform is fair and humane, and that it benefits all migrants.

el 12 de Diciembre en el centro de Jornaleros 240 NE MLK Jr Blvd, Portland

Esta tradicion empieza hace muchos anos entre los jornaleros para
agradecerle a la virgen de Guadalupe por las oportunidades de trabajo  y
pedirle su proteccion en la lucha diaria de encontrar un trabajo.

Habra
Procesion, las mananitas, servicio religioso, teatro, musica y deliciosos
tamales Mexicanos.

Programa

• 7:00 am     Procesion y las mananitas desde la esquina de la 6 y la Ankeny

• 7:30 am     Pasamos en la esquina de la MLK y I-84 y llegar en el centro de jornaleros

• 8:00 am     Serivicio, musica, teatro

• 9:00 am     Desayuno

Traditional Celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe

December 12th at the Worker Center: 240 NE MLK Jr Blvd. Portland, OR

This tradition began a few years ago with a group of day laborers who wanted to thank Our Lady of Guadalupe for their work opportunities, and to ask Her for continued protection in their daily struggle to look for work.

There will be a procession, prayer service, music dedicated to the
Virgin, and delicious Mexican tamales

Program

• 7:00 am     Procession and Las Mananitas starting from the 6th and Ankeny St.

• 7:30 am     We will pass by the second corner of MLK and I-84 and arrive at the Worker Center at 240 NE MLK Jr Blvd.

• 8:00 am     Prayer service, music and theater

• 9:00 am     Breakfast

When

12:00 Noon

Saturday, December 19th 2009, at the Day Laborer Center

240 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd,  in Portland

We will have food, music, and theater– Come show us your talents!

Information on Immigration Reform will be given

For more info, call Voz at 503.233.6787

Photo by Douglas Yarrow

A traditional altar was built and adorned with candles, photos of loved ones, and many other ceremonial objects. Danza Azteca, a group which performs traditional Aztec dance, honored the dead with a dance around the altar. All the materials for the altar were donated, as well as some of the food, which came from Los Gorditos Taqueria. Pan de muerto was also served.

Later in the evening there was dancing outside to live music played by members of Voz. The event was well-attended by members of both Voz and the wider Portland community.

Check out this video to experience the event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku19FyU_88k

Video created by Arturo Colorado