The situation of day laborers in the United States has always been precarious. And there is no one better who knows it than Pablo Alvarado, director of the National Network of Day Laborers (NDLON) in the United States.
In addition to the fact that the vast majority of them are undocumented, in 2021 at least 500 day laborers lost their lives in the country due to the covid pandemic – 19.
And the year ahead, according to Alvarado, does not look good at all.
expect a bleak outlook, ”Alvarado said. “The problems of the day laborers intensified because men and women died who lived the critical state of the disease and left hundreds of orphaned children.”
The beginning of the wave of deaths was in New York, But as infections in the country advanced and the disease spread, many workers perished, one of them, Godofredo Rivera, who was a saxophonist for the musical group “Los Jornaleros del Norte”.
Given the job shortage caused by the closure of companies, Rivera had accepted an offer at a dry cleaner where he contracted the virus. The immigrant worker and artist died in February 2021.
“At that time we did not know much about the disease,” said the social leader. “He took the job because the economic situation was tough for everyone … and it continues to be tough.”
The covid – 19 also took Antonio “Tony” Bernabé, a tireless leader of the struggle for the rights of day laborers. Bernabé was an essential part of the Coalition for the Human Rights of Immigrants (CHIRLA) of Los Angeles. He passed away on 20 January 2021.
Alvarado emphasizes that the survival options of the day laborers -considered as essential workers- were few: Either they stayed at home, safe and without being exposed to the virus and without paying their bills, or they went out to risk your health and life.
“There was no other alternative,” the director of NDLON told Real America News. “People took to the streets due to the magnitude of the need …, the situation exceeded our meager capacity to help and accompany our brother day laborers.”
Even during the peak of the pandemic, in the approximately 60 work centers nationwide, day laborers were continuously sent to “chambear.”
They were advised on how to take care of themselves to avoid contagion; were monitored with radios to communicate with the operators of the Pasadena Community Job Center, of 3, 500 members.
“The good thing about the pandemic was that people learned to use technology better; We made WhatsApp groups to accompany them to their work and we got funds for day laborers older than 65 years when they got sick, ”Pablo Alvarado reported. They were helped with $ 200, $ 300 and even $ 500 dollars.
“We helped them with whatever we could,” said Alvarado. “We could not let them die alone.”
In fact, the centers for day laborers became distribution centers for food banks’ pantries. Since May 2020, to date, thanks to the “Mano a Mano” program they have helped more than 5, 724 workers.
In June of this year, thanks to its association with Pasadena Covenant Church and the donation of a giant freezer donated by the Foundation Pasadena Community, Self-Service Food Pantry and its more than 300 volunteers had served $ 600, 000 in basic foods to the community, from dairy to meat, fresh and dry products .
It was the only way to be in solidarity in moments of difficulty, and more so, during moments of pain due to the pain of having lost a professional colleague or loved one, day laborer or not .
In own flesh
Pablo Alvarado himself, in a week the covid – 19 took away his mother, Elva Julia Gutiérrez and his brother William Sabino Alvarado. They died in the Joya Ancha village, in Santa Elena, Usulután, El Salvador.
“Our losses have been colossal, but in the midst of the hardships we met very good people; we made a nationwide petition for people to make donations; some artists donated their art and we raised $ 3 million to help the organizations a little bit, ”said the activist. “But we know that the pandemic is not over, and that is why I think that for next year our outlook will be bleak.”
‘There are many people who have no compassion ‘
At the corner of Pine Street and Garvey Boulevard in the town of Rosemead, California, Emiliano Vázquez Leyva, from the state of Sonora in Mexico; Luis Néstor Escobar, from Guatemala, and César García from Oaxaca suffer the inclemency of the freezing weather at the intersection, while they wait for a contractor or employer that needs labor.
Of the three, only Cesar drinks a hot coffee, while Luis Néstor feeds on tamales that he takes out of a plastic bag and Emiliano leans against a wire mesh, while they wait.
“For me, life has been difficult from the year 2000; I lost my plumbing job when they discovered that I had a “crooked” social security number, said Emiliano, a 50 year old from Sonora. “Afterwards, there was no work, I felt bad, I had nothing to give my wife and three children.”
He adds that since At that time, every day he struggles to find a job or a quick job that leaves some money.
“With this pandemic, for two years, sometimes I have been doing well and other times regular, but even so I continue to help my wife and children in what I can, “he said. “For the 2022, let’s see what comes out; If we work, I plan to make a meal for all the day laborers who get together here. ”
One of those friends of hers is Luis Néstor Escobar, from 41 years, who informed Real America News that he was born in Mexico, although his mother is from Guatemala.
Between nonsensical comments, Escobar recalled that he lost his home, his wife and his children. He does not remember their names nor does he know where they live.
“Alcohol and drugs left him like this,” said Emiliano. “I take care of him and help him as much as I can.”
For his part, César García not only regrets that he does not have a permanent job, but also before and during the covid pandemic – 19 have run into unscrupulous contractors, particularly Latinos who have offered them jobs and then don’t want to pay them, knowing they don’t have legal documents in the United States.
“There are many people who have no compassion for you,” he said. “Sometimes the Chinese pay us better.”
Not far from there, in front of the Home Depot facilities, in the city of Monterey Park, Fernando Vargas, a Zacatecan from 32 years old he is sitting in his van and smokes a cigarette, while he waits to work.
“I am already six years old as a day laborer ”, he said. “I do everything from cleaning, masonry, construction and whatever falls.”
Fernando has three children and a wife to support. During the health crisis, he had to overcome his fear of the coronavirus, because he says, “I have no choice but to go out and earn my daily bread.”
That need was the same as what led to getting sick with covid – 19. He was bedridden for 21 days, due to severe back pain, fever, and breathing problems.
“I was very cold and sweated; I couldn’t sleep and I couldn’t do anything in 10 days, ”he recalled. “And so, bad as it was I had to get up the day 10 and I had to gather strength to go to work ”.