Day workers take feud to church Day workers take feud to church (February 11, 2005)

Charity leaders caught off-guard

By Jon Wiener

Leaders of a major Catholic charity exited a group prayer service at St. William's Church in Los Altos Friday night and were immediately greeted by protesters and members of the Spanish-language media silently staring at them from halfway across the parking lot.

A dozen workers and organizers from the Day Worker Center at Calvary Church, located at Escuela Avenue and California Street, were present to demand a return to the negotiating table to resolve a feud that has been brewing since October.

Officials from the Northern California chapters of the Society of St. Vincent De Paul had gathered for an annual mass followed by an informal dinner. The day workers' center merged with the Santa Clara County chapter of the Society in 2002. They split two years later in response to the firing of center director Maria Marroquin, amid charges of theft and favoritism.

"They had no idea what they were getting into" when they fired Marroquin, said John Rinaldi, who resigned as president of the Society in solidarity with her.

The two sides had been in settlement talks over control of funding previously obtained by St. Vincent de Paul for operation of the center. The society broke off talks last week, according to representatives of the center.

Many of the St. Vincent de Paul officials present were unfamiliar with the situation and surprised to see the protesters.

"I don't know the details. What else do you want me to say other than that I don't know the details?" said Gene Smith, St. Vincent de Paul's national president and a Bay Area resident who was in attendance Friday night.

"What we're primarily trying to do is have them start asking questions," said Rinaldi of the board members.

The decision to protest at the meeting came after a narrow 5-4 vote Friday afternoon by the center's board, which is led by Council member Greg Perry. The workers' demands included a full accounting of funding and an end to what they called pickets of the center by society-supported workers.

Holding a sign that read, "S.V.D.P Stop your lies," Jose Vargas said he had come to the protest in order to put a human face on the dispute.

"The money belongs to the workers," said Vargas. "We're asking that they give the money back."

Steve Pehanich, the outgoing executive director of the Santa Clara County chapter of the Society, told a television crew from Univision that he thought it was inappropriate to protest during the mass. The assembled workers admitted they had considered that aspect, but dismissed the criticism.

"Tell us where is a good place, and we'll be there," said Rinaldi.

Pehanich resigned from St. Vincent de Paul two weeks ago, but is remaining as executive director for the next few months. He reiterated the society's commitment to helping day workers and added that the group is audited on an annual basis and is not misusing or hiding funds.

But questions continue to mount about what has happened to thousands of dollars in donations intended for the center, and Rinaldi and Marroquin are not the only ones that have raised them. A representative for the Peninsula Community Foundation said the Society stands to lose a $52,000 grant for operation of the day worker center unless the Society can prove that it can still use the funds for their intended purpose.

In recent weeks, one donor has asked the Society to account for funds it spent giving food and rental assistance to workers outside the center, and another individual demanded the return of a $1,500 check originally given to the center.

Two independent third parties have also sided with Marroquin and the worker center. In mid-January, a judge denied the Society's contention that Marroquin was entitled to unemployment benefits, ruling that she was not guilty of any sort of misconduct. And last week, an officer from the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, who had met with workers and officials on both sides, issued a report in which he described the charges against Marroquin as "unfounded."

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

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