PRESENTS

BUILDING AN INFORMED WORKFORCE:

STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT NEW YORK'S IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

September 21, 2010, 9 am - 4:30 pm
The Joseph S. Murphy Institute, CUNY
25 West 43rd Street, 18th Floor New York

New York City’s immigrant workforce is a critical engine that helps drive our economy, but immigrants often face unique barriers to accessing quality jobs: limited English proficiency, lack of familiarity with key legal protections, and issues of immigration status. This conference will bring together leading advocates from across the City to tackle the many challenges facing immigrant workers.

Attendance is free of charge.

All attendees will need photo ID to enter the building.

DESCRIPTION OF WORKSHOPS

Opening Introductions and Panel - 9:30 am

The State of the Immigrant Workforce in New York City

Morning Workshops - 11:30 am

Using Legal Advocacy to Support Low-Wage Worker Organizing: The Nuts & Bolts of Winning Campaigns Against Wage Theft

Presented by Make the Road New York

Recent studies demonstrate what immigrant workers already know: wage theft is rampant among New York City’s growing industries. For many immigrant workers, payment of minimum wage or overtime is the exception, not the rule. This panel will provide an overview of workers’ rights to minimum wage and overtime; advocacy strategies to remedy violations (including navigating the administrative process at the Department of Labor); and reports on victories against wage theft.

Presenters:
Amy Carroll, Legal Director, Make the Road New York
Nieves Padilla, Senior Organizer, Make the Road New York
Elizabeth Wagoner, Senior Staff Attorney, Make the Road New York
Member/Leader, Make the Road New York

Teaching Work Readiness to Low-Wage Immigrant Workers
Presented by F·E·G·S Health and Human Services System
This workshop will provide an overview of a new work readiness ESOL curriculum and identify strategies and best practices for preparing workers with limited English to search for jobs, complete applications, interview successfully and pass probation. Following a presentation of interactive modules, workshop participants will explore learner-centered activities in small groups. There will be opportunities for Q&A throughout. This session is designed for instructors, trainers and staff developers.
Presenters:
Debbie Guerra, Coordinator of Curriculum Design and Development, F•E•G•S

Job Placement: Identifying Friendly Employers and Marketing the Low-Wage Immigrant Worker
Presented by St. Nicks Alliance
An interactive workshop for those who want to develop employment opportunities for their immigrant students. Workshop participants will learn what to look for in employers that they want to send their clients to and what to teach their clients before they send them to these employers.
Presenters:
Terry Ellis, Job Developer, St. Nicks Alliance
Shelley Miller, Deputy Director of Education and External Affairs, St. Nicks Alliance

Lunch Panel Discussion - 1:00 pm
Challenges and Innovations on the Front Lines
The Hispanic Federation will present the findings of its recent report, Futures in the Balance: Meeting Workforce Development Needs of Latinos in New York City. Leading service providers will comment on the report and discuss challenges and best practices from their experience as partners in the Low Wage Immigrant Workers Initiative.
Panelists :
Ana Maria Archila, Co-Executive Director, Make the Road New York
José Calderón, Senior Vice President, Hispanic Federation
Steven Choi, Executive Director, The MinKwon Center for Community Action
Rev. Terry Troia, Executive Director, Project Hospitality

Afternoon Workshops - 2:30 pm
Day Laborer Participation, Empowerment, Progress!
Presented by El Centro del Inmigrante/Project Hospitality
Hear the voices of day laborers on the changes they can make in a community, and how to make change happen with them, using education as a tool for community empowerment. Through an interactive PowerPoint workshop, we will explore the best practices for engaging and retaining day laborers in basic literacy, GED and ESOL education programs. Learn the context of day laborers’ lives, key issues and struggles in NYC, and their impact on education and economic advancement. Review the recommendations of the Mayor’s Temporary Commission on Day Laborer Job Sites.
Presenters:
Gonzalo Mercado, Executive Director, El Centro del Inmigrante
Worker Leader, El Centro del Inmigrante
Aileen Kim, TA/Special Projects Coordinator, Project Hospitality
Rev. Terry Troia, Executive Director, Project Hospitality

Best Practices for Integrating Health and Safety Rights, Rules and Regulations into ESOL Instruction
Presented by the MinKwon Center for Community Action
This workshop on worker health and safety will offer ESOL providers and other community organizations insight into common issues that low-wage immigrant workers face. The first half of the workshop will consist of a panel discussion identifying the health and safety issues particular to immigrant workers, as well as additional social, cultural, and economic issues such as lack of English language ability, literacy, marginal economic status, and immigration status. The panel will also cover basic health and safety rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, worker’s compensation, and the rights of undocumented immigrants. During the second half of the workshop, attendees will participate in actual exercises and workshop structures that ESOL providers and community organizations can incorporate into their activities.
Presenters:
Diana Cortez, Area Director, Tarrytown Area Office, and Regional Hispanic Coordinator, OSHA
Luzdary Giraldo, Safety and Health Specialist, Immigrant Workers, NYCOSH
Nicholas I. Timko, President, New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Liz C.E. Rhee, Worker Organizer, The MinKwon Center for Community Action (Moderator)

Worker Co-ops and Entrepreneurship: Alternative Models for Workforce Development for Immigrant Workers
Presented by Make the Road New York
This session is designed for conference participants who are interested in worker cooperatives as an alternative workforce development model for immigrant workers. The panelists will discuss experiences starting and running cooperatives, how community organizations can support workers to develop cooperatives, best practices, legal constraints, and challenges.
Presenters:
Vanessa Bransburg, Cooperative Coordinator, LMSW
Alicia Chavez, Worker-Owner, Si Se Puede Women’s Cooperative, We Can Do It, Inc.
Yvette Contreras, Coordinator, Las Señoras
Gowri J. Krishna, Clinical Teaching Fellow, Fordham School of Law
John Whitlow, Supervising Attorney, Make the Road New York

The Joseph S. Murphy Institute, CUNY
25 West 43rd St.
18th Floor
New York, NY 10036

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (ET)

New York City Department of Youth and Community Development

The Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) was created in 1996 to provide the City of New York with high-quality youth and family programming. Our central task is administering available City, state, and federal funds to effective community-based organizations. 

DYCD supports New York City youth and their families by funding a wide range of high-quality youth and community development programs.