DAY LABORER GATHERINGS STUDIED.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer Prompted by residents' complaints, city officials are monitoring day laborers seeking work along Newhall and Canyon Country streets to determine if there's a need for a hiring hall and an anti-loitering ordinance. For the next two weeks, city staff will cruise local streets three days a week watching transactions between day laborers and their prospective employers. ``We felt we needed to go out into the community and familiarize ourselves with what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. ,'' city spokesman Kevin Tonoian said. ``We're just doing observations in the field to see what we've got in numbers in numbered parts; as, a book published in numbers. See also: Number and where they congregate.'' On Monday, Tonoian said he saw about 80 day laborers along San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the near Sierra Highway Sierra Highway is a road in Southern California, United States. It runs from Tunnel Station near the north limit of the City of Los Angeles, where it intersects with San Fernando Road and Foothill Boulevard, as well as Interstate 5, and continues north to Mojave, mostly paralleling and 15th Street. Some residents say they feel intimidated by the workers who gather on the streets and want the gatherings stopped. During the observation, city officials will visit businesses where day laborers tend to congregate, such as Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box on Golden Triangle Golden Triangle can refer to:
Officials stressed that the field observation is not punitive but a way to learn more about the workers and the people who hire them. ``We're looking at issues and not focusing on areas,'' Tonoian said. ``We want the community to know we're actively addressing their issues. Efforts are under way to come up with a solution that works for both sides.'' After the observation, officials will compile the information into a report for the City Council to discuss during a study session this fall. Five years ago, city staff suggested building a hiring hall, but the council rejected the idea and instead called for the Immigration and Naturalization Service Noun 1. Immigration and Naturalization Service - an agency in the Department of Justice that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to the United States INS to sweep the area for illegal immigrants. The council intends to take a fresh look at the issue. Besides the field observation, the city staff is studying the success of day laborer centers and anti-loitering ordinances in other cities. A proposal for a hiring hall already enjoys some community support. A coalition of local churches hopes to build a hiring hall where day laborers could gather for job referrals, receive vocational training and learn how to speak English. ``We would love to find a way with the city to have a public-private partnership Public-private partnership (PPP) describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. These schemes are sometimes referred to as PPP or P3. ,'' said Tim Davis Tim Davis may refer to:
A recent study on revitalization plans for downtown Newhall called for a day laborer center. While city officials have yet to make a decision, they agree that a solution must be found for day laborers. ``It's an issue of supply and demand,'' Tonoian said. ``If there wasn't demand for their labor, there wouldn't be supply.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Day laborers wait to be hired in Newhall. Sa nta Clarita city officials are considering controls on gatherings. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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