Description
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) is an American labor organization which aims at improving the lives of day laborers. It was founded in Northridge, California, in July 2001 and is based in Los Angeles, California. NDLON as a direct democracy where day laborers in member organizations vote directly for the policies at NDLON's biannual assemblies. NDLON started with 12 community-based organizations and has grown to 36 member organizations.
Origins
Day laborer organizing network dates back to the mid-1980s with efforts to organize and educate day laborers about their rights and civil liberties. In the late 1980s, pilot programs helped create worker centers. In the 1990s, the government became more involved in certain cities. Some supported the worker centers, while others tried to get rid of the day laborer sites. During this time organizers developed a two-step approach. The first step was a litigation strategy in the courts that challenged the solicitation ordinances.
The second approach was an organizing strategy that allowed day laborers to come together to have more political inclusion and be able to represent themselves in front of governmental officials, law enforcement, and local stakeholders. In the late 1990s, organizers from the different centers were exchanging strategies and organizing practices like "libretas" which were books that were eventually distributed throughout the United States. Towards the end of the decade, more formal attempts were made to create a formal organization with the collaboration of all the worker centers. In 1999, a national coordinator was added and a national agenda was created which led to the creation of the NDLON.
