“From its inception, The LAWP’s vision is to create an environment of social, economic and political empowerment for low-income immigrant workers. The LAWP’s leadership and members have always stood and will continue to stand at the forefront of  the  labor organizing and immigrants’ rights movements in New York City. Through our ongoing commitment to organize around the workplace, day labor hiring sites, and deprived communities, we will ensure that the community at large is able to value, accept and embrace  their contribution to the economic growth of this great City” 

                                                                   - Mr. Oscar Paredes Morales, Executive Director

The Latin American Workers Project Inc. (LAWP)  is community-based organization with the mission to empower Latino/a immigrant workers, through leadership development, community organizing and popular education to achieve better living and working conditions.  Our main goals are to develop leaders in our community, to change the conditions that lead to exploitation, to strengthen the grassroots base of the labor movement, and to create grassroots economic alternatives. 

                                                                          How the LAWP implements its mission?

The Latin American Workers Project Inc. (LAWP) implements its mission based on decisions made by each committee who democratically determines the needs for the community. Under a participatory system, we have established the structural basis which allows our community members to be embraced by institutions of faith, education, social services and health care. With the support of community organizers, legal experts and trained consultants, we have been able to promote leadership development, occupational health training to minimize the likelihood of worker injuries, job and life-skills training, medical and mental health clinics, English-as-a-second-language (ESL), Computer, Leadeship & Motivation courses, etc.  We have also secures a minimum wage and has assisted workers in reclaiming thousands of dollars of unpaid wages.

The Latin American Workers Project Inc. (LAWP) has a history of successful community mobilizing through popular education, leadership developing and participatory forms of democratic organizing.

2001 - The LAWP initiated the 9/11 Latino Clean Up Workers campaign in response to the exploitative labor practices of companies contracted by the city to clean up the site at Ground Zero. More than 2,600 Latino Clean up workers benefited from access to low cost of medical and mental healthcare for the uninsured, emergency financial assistance for rent, food, and utilities; as well as translation services and legal assistance.

2001 - The LAWP established the first Community Job Center in Bedford and Berry, Brooklyn, where the workers conducted democratic meetings to decide a living wage and a fair system to distribute work. 

2002 - The LAWP established the second Community Job Center in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and establishes a designated corner for Women’s Day Labor in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

2003 - The LAWP had a major victory, winning a settlement of over $1 million for 60 factory workers who have been organizing with us for three years.

2005 - The LAWP had a major victory for institutional change that benefited over 15,000 Street Vendors. The new law grants equal access to vending permits to all New Yorkers regardless of their migratory status. Subsequently we are pushing a proposal to lift the 20 year cap on the number of street vending (853 general merchandise and 3,000 food cart) permits emitted by the city each year.

2006 - The LAWP lobbied city council members to open additional job centers throughout the city. As a result, a Day Labor commission was established to study the existing Bay Parkway Community Job Center and our effective organizing process in New York City. The creation of this commission is a huge step to continue opening additional community job centers as a humane alternative for helping immigrant day laborers seeks employment and access services.

2008 - The LAWP reached a historic agreement with The Labor International Union of North American (L.I.U.N.A) to unionize the day labors from the four boroughs in New York City. 

These are just some of the victories won on behalf of the every men and women worker that strive to work in piece and contribute to economic and social improvement of this great and diverse City!!