Voz/Worker’s Rights Education Project–a day labor project of Portland, Oregon–together with allies, such as Jobs With Justice, carpenters, laborers, and volunteers held a protest against an abusive employer that likes to exploit workers, specifically day laborers.

The company, Wild West Construction, and its owner/boss, Naomi Ahmed, hired eight day laborers from the East Burnside Labor Corner on August 7, 2006, to do construction/sheetrock work. This group of workers was hired to work at a new condo building on the corner of SE Woodstock and 93rd Ave, which is the property of Naomi Ahmed. The laborers worked there for 3 weeks (August 7th-25th) approximately 10 to 11 hours a day. Mr. Ahmed, the boss, paid them the first two weeks, but on the third week of work, he told them he would not pay them because they “did not do good work.” He stated that the city inspector came to check the work and that it did not pass the inspection. Mr. Ahmed told them that if they want to be paid they needed to fix all the work that did not pass inspection and then they would receive payment but not for the third week’s work. The Wild West Construction and Naomi Ahmed owes these eight day laborers wages for that week of work.

Ahmed has an accomplice who hires the laborers for this company, whose name is Ramon. After personnel from Voz tried several times to contact Ahmed and Ramon to arbitrate a payment plan without any positive result, the organization then decided to initiate legal proceedings against Wild West Construction and Naomi Ahmed.

After a meeting between the eight workers and Voz staff, it was also decided to do an action to create community awareness about the abuses that day laborers face day to day on the corners. On September 25, 2006 we organized a protest/picket line in front of Naomi Ahmed’s building to demand the payment of wages to the eight day laborers and to denounce this kind of abusiveness by employers. About 30 supporters from Job with Justice, carpenters, laborers, students, volunteers, and day laborers participated in this picket line, in support of these workers. We are pursuing litigation against this company and its owner, Mr. Ahmed. We are also planning other actions against this abusive employer until he pays all wages due to these day laborers.

Our appreciation goes out to all of you that came to support our struggle in this fight and hope to unite with you again soon.

About 1,500 people gathered in downtown Portland this past Labor Day weekend for a rally and march demanding immigrants rights and a path to legalization for all immigrants living in the USA. The march and rally was part of a national day of action, with events happening across the country.

The rally started at the South Parks Block about 2:00pm with the participation of Aztec Dancers, and a group of speakers representing different sectors of our communities such as, labor, faith, day laborers, youth, and immigrants from around the world.

After the rally there was a march in downtown Portland with a stop in front of the office of gubernatorial candidate Ron Saxton to denounce his anti-immigrant political agenda.

Rally & March for Fair Immigration Reform
Sunday Sept. 3, 2:00 pm
South Park Blocks (SW Salmon & Park)

Join immigrant, labor and faith communities in a solidarity march for Immigrant Rights

This Labor Day weekend, celebrate the contributions of all of Oregon’s work force and tell Congress it’s time to fix our broken immigration system.

Organized by the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition: VOZ Workers’ Rights Education Project, CAUSA, Jobs with Justice, PCASC, AFSC, SEIU Local 49, SEIU Local 503, AFSCME Council 75, Latino Network, Oregon Farm Worker Ministry, Center for Intercultural Organizing, PCUN, Hermandad Mexicana, Social Activist Youth, The Jefferson Center for Education and Research, Escuela de Lideres “Magdalena Mora” Read the rest of this entry »