What is Day Labor?

Homeowners and Contractors may hire day laborers for temporary help on various projects. Day laborers are workers adept at skilled and general work in all types of construction, landscaping, moving, and demolition and can help make any job faster and easier. Workers hired through the Center are known for their positive attitudes, hard work, and quality craftsmanship.

Day labor is a key part of the manufacturing, construction, and service economy. In Spanish, day laborers are called jornaleros, from the Spanish word jornada, which means “day of work”. Contractors, businesses, and home owners  hire day laborers for non-permanent labor  by picking them up from shape up sites or at workers centers. Across the country in cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Seattle, Portland, and Chicago workers, contractors and other community stakeholders have collaborated to create democratic Workers’ Centers to ensure a safe and streamlined hiring process.