Hispanics Build a Solid Base

Robert Carter, a 30-year-old plumber's apprentice who is black, looks up from his work to say that Hispanics "are taking over" the construction industry.

Asked how he feels about that, Carter, who lives in Southeast, nods toward Osorio's group, which is working a few feet away. "Look at them," he says. "They work hard. Real hard. They don't stop. They don't complain, they get along. They came from much worse places, so to come in here and work is easy to them."

"In my opinion, if you want a job, you can get a job out here. You just have to work," says Carter, as he goes back to examining his blueprints for hot water lines.

Labor of Language

Just as the sun rises around 6:15 a.m., Howells yells down: "Osorio, I need you and a few of your guys up here." Osorio nods and climbs up the ladder. Howells lays out the blueprints showing where heavy iron beams are needed to support the stage and the six stories of office building.

Osorio studies the blueprint and nods. "I got it," he tells Howells. He then switches to Spanish, explaining the plans to his crew, which includes 13 workers from Guatemala, eight of them from Chiquimula.

A few feet from Osorio's group, Hispanic workers with Clark Construction Group LLC saw plywood. Next to them, young Hispanics from another company push jackhammers into rock, their bodies shaking against the machines.

At 9:14 a.m., Howells yells, "Break!" Osorio and his crew scramble out of the hole and race to the lunch truck. A young Colombian man lifts the sides of the truck, and the workers push politely to get to the silver trays steaming with empanadas, tamales, pupusas, rice, black beans, broccoli smothered in melted Velveeta cheese and a tray of iced Mountain Dews and Cokes.

Osorio grabs a disposable plate, serves himself a tamale and milk and pays $4. He quickly eats his food, and by 9:28 a.m., he and his crew are back in the hole, carrying more long, heavy iron beams.

At one point, one Latino worker is rapidly tying wires, and Howells tries to tell him that the power boxes are in the wrong place. The worker's head bobs back and forth as he tries to follow the English. Workers and bosses say it's common for a boss to give orders in English to Spanish-speaking workers, who will then quickly look around for someone who understands English to translate. But they add that in construction, the language difference is not the problem it might be in other lines of work.

Later, a supervisor notices that Osorio's crew is struggling with some heavy iron bars. The supervisor, who is black and has been with Kenny Wood for 30 years, yells out advice: "Edvin, you've got to swing it up and out." Moses, a Salvadoran on Edvin's team, yells "Arriba. Arriba," as the others on the line push the beam. When another worker asks how much farther, some men respond: "Un poquito mas. Un poquito mas."

The supervisor, who doesn't know Spanish, chimes in, "Yeah, what they said."

Illegal Immigrants

At 1:30 p.m., a supervisor gives the signal to wrap it up. An hour later, Osorio and his roommates are back home. After showering, they eat a bit of grilled meat, onions and tortillas, and then chat about their impressions of the United States.