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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 397-05
October 18, 2005

MAYOR BLOOMBERG SIGNS LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING COMMISSION TO STUDY FEASIBILTY OF DAY LABORER JOB CENTERS

Remarks by Mayor Bloomberg at a Public Hearing on Local Laws

"The first bill before me is Introductory 592-A, sponsored by Council Members Gentile, Sears, Stewart, DeBlasio, Gioia, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Fidler, Gennaro, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Nelson, Perkins, Reyna, Sanders, Seabrook, Weprin, Quinn, Martinez, Liu, Barron, Palma, Yassky and Public Advocate, Betsy Gotbaum.  This bill would establish a commission to study the feasibility of creating public/private partnerships to develop and operate job centers for immigrant day laborers.

"The day laborer community comprises a modest portion of the City's labor force.  Approximately six to eight thousand day laborers work in New York City.  These workers are overwhelmingly immigrants and mostly come from Mexico and Central and South America. 

"The temporary and informal nature of day labor work diminishes an employer's responsibilities to their employees and allows for unregulated pay that is often below market value.  In addition to the potential exploitation and physical risks day laborers face when seeking work in an unregulated setting, the circumstances surrounding the congregation of day laborers on city streets have generated community concerns.

"This bill would establish a temporary commission to study these issues and the feasibility of creating job centers for day laborers.  This Commission would issue a report on its findings within nine months after the enactment of this local law.  

"I would like to thank the Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, Guillermo Linares, his staff, and the City Council for their work on this bill."







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