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Waiting for their immigration appointments and having to provide for their families is a situation that has cornered many of the 65,000 migrants who have arrived in New York City in recent months, and who are desperately looking for employment. Not knowing their labor rights has also pushed them to work for less, and this has generated discontent among older migrants.
“Many times there is an immigrant who has rights, he certainly has privileges for saying he puts down another immigrant and that is something very bad. When I arrived I had a salary at that time that I didn’t understand, they took advantage of you”, says Marcelo, a Guatemalan migrant.
Situation that is being taken advantage of by some employers…
“Especially if the owner or employer identifies that he is going to find a worker who is going to do it for less, because he simply tells him, he is fired and that is legal, he does not have to give him any explanation,” says Modesta Toribio, an organizer of workers from Se makes way New York.
The competition has become more latent in the sector of food delivery, construction and cleaning.
“I think that we would all like to have a decent salary, I imagine, it will benefit us all in one way or another since right now the economy is a bit difficult,” says Ernestina Díaz, Mexican migrant, food delivery worker.
Organizations like Make the Road New York have increased their efforts to promote labor laws, other than immigration laws.
“Basically how to guide them about their rights, make them aware so that they know that they do not have to work less than the minimum wage of 15 dollars per hour, that they have the right to be sick”, continues Toribio.
This competition between migrants has been aggravated by reports of wage theft, payments with bad checks or employers who disappear after a workday, according to reports Se hace camino Nueva York.
