Day laborers are people who scratch out a living, always trying to pick up a day’s work but never knowing if they will get chosen for a job. During my time in Los Angeles back in the 1980s I remember watching the laborers gather on street corners, waiting for the contractors or individual to cruise by and pick out the workers they would need for the day–of course, no health insurance or any benefits came with the job.

Anyway, Steve Greenhouse has an interesting piece today (registration required) on the conflict between Home Depot–the Wal-Mart of the repair and construction business (they drive out all the local and small hardware stores)–and day laborers. It seems the laborers try to pick up jobs from contractors coming by Home depot to pick up supplies…and Home Depot is having laborers arrested. Shame on them.