Salt lake used to have (15 years ago) had a day labor center run by the city.
Well organized and well run.
All laborers checked for ID and SS card.
Contracters came to the center and picked workers or could call in (after registering with the city) and have workers sent to a job site.
Rates of pay were negotiated between contracter and laborer up front.
As a side note. A third of the people in the homeless shelters were black. Less than 5% of the laborers were black. However, back then, everbody spoke english.
In the WDC area many of the “homeless” are in their “offices” at intersections in the suburbs where the Metro stops are nearby. They fan out for their day of “work” collecting money from guilty suburbanites who hand them folding money. I bet they “earn” $100-$200 per day, depending on how long they hold “office” hours. At the end of their “work” day they get back on Metro and go back into the city. Most have some sort of “God Bless You” sign written on cardboard. Not to be cold-hearted, but you might think they could maybe get a real job. Just sayin’...
I would love to see the day laborers checked for proper documentation and real SS cards. SLC should bring that back rather than let them hang in front of the Home Depot on 21st South. Good post.