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Street Work and the Organization of Informal Work

Mon, August 18, 2:30 to 4:10pm, TBA

Abstract

Drawing on qualitative research, this paper examines closely the social order of a community of Latino immigrant day laborers on an urban street corner to broaden our understandings of how regulations and protections are still enacted in informal work sites. For nearly three years on a street intersection in New York City, workers shared with me how they managed work matters amongst themselves, i.e. pay scale, who to work for, how long to work, etc. establishing rules that helped maintain a stable and satisfactory work environment at their makeshift office. In examining social order, social scientists will argue that we need to have formal structures to provide regulation to avoid disorder and corruption. For some marginalized workers, like day laborers, worker centers have been successful in providing this kind of scrutiny, regulation and protection. But can we find such activity outside of formal places? And if so, what do those activities look like and are these efforts successful? Drawing on observations and interviews, this paper explains how the workers transformed a public place – the street corner –into a space that served their specific needs, both economic and social. Fieldwork uncovered that day laborers developed rules that served as regulatory mechanisms and practices on the corner as well as a support system that served labor needs as well as cultivated a discussion about rights, membership and belonging.

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