AURORA, Colo. -- A rally is scheduled for Monday night on the steps of the Aurora Municipal Building. The group will be there to oppose what they view as an anti-day laborer ordinance.

City lawmakers may soon broaden their regulatory powers relating to day labor.

Aurora City Council will consider changes to the definition of temporary employment during its June 16 session, a code amendment decision that could have broad implications on day labor in Aurora.

The proposed ordinance would change the definition of temporary employment office in the city code to include any "business office engaged in procuring employment or others, and/or in procuring employees for employers on an hourly, daily or weekly basis." By including offices that perform such services for no fee, the code's new language would adopt nonprofit agencies into the city's definition.

The proposal is up for its first reading during the June 16 session.

As a possible precedent for further legislation, the ordinance could make such nonprofit agencies subject to regulation from the city.

The ordinance, which was introduced by Councilwoman Deborah Wallace, is the first of two measures designed to address issues related to temporary employment and day laborers in certain parts of the city, specifically the stretches of East Colfax Avenue where crowds often flock to find daily employment.

"The biggest problem is they (day laborers) are intimidating and scaring the actual customers that are coming down here," said Scott Pasternack, owner of Pasternack's Pawn Shop.

"There's people running up to cars when they shouldn't be running up to cars. They think every car that stops is looking for daily hires, when they are actually customers of mine. I think it's a volatile scene," said Phillip Arguello, owner of Colfax Pawn.

Arguello believes someone might eventually be hurt or killed. He also believes day laborers are responsible for leaving trash in the streets.

During a June 2 study session, council tabled a related ordinance that would impose restrictions on such offices, citing a need for further review.

In its initial form, the second ordinance prohibited vehicle solicitation in public rights-of-way, barring drivers from "any action which could cause a pedestrian in the public right-of-way ... to approach the vehicle in the roadway."

The ordinance would also require any temporary employer to provide written proof of their name and address, the rate of wages, a description of the work, potable water and bathroom facilities.

The proposal's restrictions have inspired an outcry from workers' rights advocates, many of whom have claimed the ordinance would infringe on basic constitutional rights to assemble. Though the second ordinance has been tabled, protesters have planned a rally on the steps of city hall to coincide with the discussion.

The issue has pitted businesses along east colfax against people congregating there looking for work. Business owners said the crowds that flock there are scaring customers away.

But advocates for day laborers said this ordinance amounts to discrimination and racial profiling.

"We have to be located where the workers are," said Minsun Ji, director of the day labor advocacy group El Centro Humanitario.

"A lot of bosses know about these locations. I see a lot of people looking for work, trying to become something better. These jobs help us feed our families," said day laborer Sergio Munguia.