Photo Slideshow: Why I am Thankful for You

Perhaps without even realizing it, you have changed Memphis this year. You have stood with workers seeking justice in our community. I could write a long post about the many ways you have made a difference, through your generosity and your action. But these photos do a much better job! I hope you enjoy seeing what you've accomplished, as much as I enjoyed putting together this slideshow for you. (And be sure to turn on your speakers to hear the background music.)


Thank you for your steadfast support of Workers Interfaith Network. Have a blessed Thanksgiving, and please know that you are one of the many people I will give thanks to God for on Thursday.

Video blog: How you can join wage theft national day of action

This is my first video blog for Workers Interfaith Network. Next Thursday, November 18th is a national day of action against wage theft. Find out the two ways that you can take action here in the Mid-South:



Now that you're ready to take part, go to WIN's website for the specific information you'll need to take part in the National Day of Action Against Wage Theft.


And, if you have ideas of what items we should be putting in our shopping cart at the press conference, leave them in the comments section!

University Employees Hard Work Should Be Rewarded With Fair Pay

    Last night members of Workers Interfaith Network joined together with the United Campus Workers and the Progressive Student Alliance to kick off a campaign for a living wage wage at the University of Memphis. The heart of the community forum we held were talks given by two courageous custodial workers who spoke out about the poverty wages and unfair conditions that come with their jobs.


   As I took part in the forum, I felt a lot of different emotions at the same time. I was angry at the conditions that Emma Davis and Thelma Rimmer described. All workers at the University have faced a pay freeze for over three years now. While a lack of a raise is a challenge for anyone, when your pay is around $8 an hour, it becomes a crisis. Ms. Davis shared how painful it is for her when one of her two children ask her for something that she can't provide. "When you're making $80,000 a year, you don't have to turn your kids away," she said. "I have to because I have to pay my bills.


    At the forum, we talked about Dr. David Ciscel's study produced earlier this year, that shows that a living wage is $11.62 an hour in families of four, where two parents are able to work. But since publishing the study, family health care premiums at the University have jumped 32 percent, to $335 a month.  


   When your pay is just $1,300 a month, this is an unbearable burden. Ms. Davis is now facing a crisis of how to care for her health problems because she makes too much to get TennCare coverage, but she can't afford the University coverage.


   Equally upsetting is the attitude of some supervisors that Ms. Rimmer and Ms. Davis described. They both said that when they have asked about pay raises, supervisors have told them "you should be happy to have a job." Ms. Rimmer put it well when she said, "yes it's good to have a job, but you need a paying job." Supervisors have also told them that they can't do anything about the fact that when they arrive at work at 3:00 a.m., there is no air conditioning, even in the hottest days of the summer.


   There was plenty to be upset about. But I was also inspired at the courage of these two women in speaking out. It would be easy to keep silence out of a fear of losing their jobs in these tough times. But as Ms. Rimmer said, "I'm speaking up for those who are afraid to speak up. I'm standing here to make a way for the next person, for my kids, and for your kids." 


    All of us who care about workers rights need to be prepared to take action with these workers if they experience any retaliation for speaking out at last night's forum.


    And I was inspired by the response of the students, staff, faculty, and community members who took part in the forum. Progressive Student Alliance member Gaby Marquez wanted Mr. Davis and Ms. Rimmer to know that even though their work goes unnoticed, that it is appreciated by students like her. "My mother cleaned houses, so I know some of where you're coming from. I can promise you that when I see President Raines, I will be bringing up the living wage with her."


    While campaigning for a living wage in this economy is an uphill struggle, we also reflected last night on other wage victories in our state. I shared the story of how the campaign for a living wage ordinance with the City Council was long and hard-fought, but successful. Tom Smith, an organizer with the United Campus Workers, shared how organizing at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville significantly raised workers' pay there. When he worked at the UTK Library, he saw his pay raised $3,000 over a three year period because of organizing for a living wage by the union and community allies.


   Even if you couldn't join us, I hope you're inspired to join these workers in taking action for a living wage. 


Ready to join the struggle? You can start by signing our electronic petition to President Raines. And, if you're not already on the list to get email alerts from WIN, sign up now so you'll know about future actions in this campaign. 

What Moses is teaching me about organizing

    Every night before bedtime, my husband, stepson and I read a Bible story together. Right now we're reading Exodus, and I've been reminded how much Moses can teach us about doing organizing. 


     For years, I've found comfort in Moses' reluctance to be sent by God to Pharaoh. Even after God tells him all of the wonderful signs Moses will be able to do in order to convince the people that God has sent him, Moses still says "O my Lord, please send someone else." As an introvert who has spent most of my life avoiding conflict, I often find myself mouthing those words along with Moses.

    But last night what caught my attention is the advice that Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, gives to him after the Israelites have left Egypt. In Exodus 18:13-24, Moses is becoming exhausted because he is trying to take care of all the community's needs by himself. Whenever there is a dispute among the people, they come to Moses to have it resolved.

    Jethro gives Moses a couple of pieces of advice that I think have relevance for any of us who are organizing for justice:

1) Jethro says that Moses should teach the people the statues and instructions that God has for them. It seems like Moses has been giving these statutes out one by one as people come to him to solve a conflict. But this gives people little power to solve their problems themselves. The more people in the community there are who can teach each other, the stronger the community will be. 

   We try to live by this principle in WIN's Workers' Center. Workers usually contact the Center for the first time because they've experienced wage theft, or have had some other abuse of their rights. Before workers begin a case with the Center, they have to participate in a training on what labor rights workers have in this country. As time has gone on, we've moved from staff leading these trainings, to experienced workers leading them. Workers leave these trainings knowing what their rights are, but they also leave better equipped to inform other workers of how to stand up against abuse.

2) Jethro pushes Moses to give up the illusion that he can take care of everything himself. He tells him "what you are doing is not good. You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone." So Jethro suggests that Moses train other Israelites who are trustworthy to be judges. 

    It seems like pretty obvious advice, but how often do we try to do things alone, or with just one or two other people? The strongest community organizing groups are ones that are continually building up new leaders who do everything from speak to the media to recruiting members.

   I'll be honest with you. At Workers Interfaith Network, we need to do a better job of finding new leaders to add to those who've been with us for the last 5 - 8 years. For most of the folks who are in leadership positions today in WIN, they started off as volunteers who helped when they could with phone banking, picketing, delegations to business owners, sending mailings, and more. If you'd like to volunteer, please fill out our interest form to let us know the specific ways you'd like to help.

   When I think back over the last eight years, since I founded Workers Interfaith Network, I'm amazed to think of all the people who have shared the task of leading our work. So many people have given sacrificially of their time and their skills to seek justice with low-wage workers. Alone, it would have been too much for any person. Together, we have accomplished much more than we dreamed was possible.

How To Document Abuses of Your Rights at Work

1. Pay records: Keep a record of the days and hours you work, and how much each of your paychecks are. Keep all copies of your pay stubs, or your record of what you were paid in cash. If you discover that you are a victim of wage theft, these records will be very important for your case. Keep these at home, not at work. (Contact WIN for a booklet like one of those pictured above that you can use to keep track of your work hours.)

2. Employer information: Write down the full name, address, phone number, and license plate number of the person who hires you, and the person who is your supervisor.

3. Sub-contractors: If you work for a sub-contractor, find out the name, phone number, and address of the company that pays your boss.

4. What papers to keep: Keep copies of any personnel policies, contracts, union cards, papers or letters you receive from your boss, and copies of any documents you give to your boss. Keep these papers at home, not at work.

If you are having a specific problem at work, such as not being paid all you are owed, harassment, or being told to work in dangerous conditions:

1. Keep a diary of all incidents that happen. Write down the date, time, location of the incident, any conversations you have about it, and the names of other witnesses. Keep a record of any phone calls you make to lawyers, insurance agents, or government agencies. Make your notes as soon as possible, because it's easy to forget details.

2. If there are any witnesses to your incident, ask them if they are willing to write down what they saw and ask them to sign their statements. Get their phone numbers and addresses, in case one of you quits.

3. Don't sign any documents that are written in a language you can't read. Ask for a copy in your own language, or ask to take it home where someone can translate it for you. After you've done this, if you are asked to sign the document, ask for a copy that you can keep for your own records.

4. Find out if other workers are having the same problem. Talk with your co-workers about how you can protect your rights together.

Have more questions about your rights? The website canmybossdothat has a wealth of information on many different worker rights topics. If you live in the greater Memphis area and you are a victim of wage theft, or are being forced to work in unsafe conditions, email Workers Interfaith Network or call us at (901) 332-3570

Community Foundation Will Match Your Gift to WIN

    I have some great news. Workers Interfaith Network has been awarded a $5,500 challenge grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis! The grant will increase our ability to bring together even bigger numbers of workers and people of faith to act for justice.      

     But the grant comes with an important requirement that I need your help to meet. In order to receive the grant, WIN must raise an equal amount - $5,500 – from generous members like you. Can you make a gift of $30, $50, $100, or more to help us reach our goal? If that’s more than you can afford, a gift of any size will help.

            

    And remember, whatever amount you give, it will be doubled through the challenge grant from the Community Foundation.

            

    Through your generosity and your action, you have helped WIN accomplish so much through the years. Thank you for standing up for justice with workers here in the Mid-South.

            

    Because we’re so busy at WIN acting for a living wage, working to stop wage theft, and training workers on their rights, sometimes other things have to wait.

Important things like purchasing a computer server that will save our files in case a computer crashes. (Unfortunately a crash happened last year. It wasted a lot of time I would like to have used to take action for workers’ rights!)

Important things like developing a Spanish-language newsletter to keep our Workers’ Center members up to date on WIN’s work. We have 35 worker members now, but we aren’t doing a good enough job keeping them informed.

    But the great news is that the Community Foundation’s grant – and the gift that you give – will help us take care of some of those important things that we have always had to wait on in the past.

    The grant is for “capacity building.” The term may sound complicated, but what it means is making sure that WIN has the basics covered so that we’re strong enough to take action with workers. Because I have a computer that is so slow that I can’t always access email, sometimes it keeps me from sending out an urgent action alert to you. Then you miss out a chance to stop wage theft with a worker who is counting on your support.

    Up-to-date technology and better English and Spanish communications with all of our members will allow WIN to do more in the fight for workers’ rights. We can build a bigger movement of more Mid-Southerners who will:

• Organize with workers at the University of Memphis for a living wage. Every University worker should be paid enough to at least meet her basic needs, without having to work more than one full-time job.
• Press members of Congress from the Mid-South to co-sponsor new federal wage theft legislation. This ground-breaking legislation was introduced last week. It will help the Department of Labor stop employers who steal workers’ wages from them.
• Train workers on how to stay safe on the job. WIN’s trainings teach workers everyday safety skills. Most importantly, workers practice how to say no when the boss orders them to do something so dangerous that it could kill them.

     Please help us build a stronger, more efficient Workers Interfaith Network so we can tackle these worker rights’ struggles. Each dollar you give will be matched by the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis’s challenge grant. Thank you for helping WIN take advantage of this incredible opportunity.

Want your gift doubled by the Community Foundation? 

Give now.

Our progress in reaching the goal for the Community Foundation grant (as of 10/20/2010):

Got questions about the living wage at University of Memphis? Get them answered on October 26th

    A couple of months ago, I had the chance to talk with a University of Memphis worker who I'll call Lisa. Now, whenever I step on to campus, I think about her. About the work that she does. About how invisible she is to most people at the University, even while they depend on her labor to keep the place running.


    Each morning, Lisa arrives at work before 4:00 a.m. She and her co-workers make a long walk in the dark from the least expensive parking at the University to the buildings that they clean. Because Lisa makes minimum wage - $7.25 an hour - she has to choose the cheapest parking even though it means an unsafe, lengthy walk to work.

    Lisa knows what it's like to have more month than she has money. "With the money we make, it's impossible to make a living. I really do not want to work a second job, but as a single parent I have to. You have to juggle bills. It is really hard. Something has to change," Lisa says. Yet, because of the odd work schedule the University has for Lisa, she has not been able to find a second job that she can work while keeping her University job.


    But the point is that she shouldn't have to work more than one full-time job just to meet her most basic expenses. Hearing Lisa's story first hand brought home to me the importance of the new living wage campaign that Workers Interfaith Network and United Campus Workers are launching at the University. 


    I want you to have the opportunity to hear from workers first-hand too, so that you can ask your questions and hear what it's like for them to try to make ends meet on what the University pays them. That's why WIN, United Campus Workers, and the Progressive Student Alliance are sponsoring a community forum about the living wage campaign at the University on Tuesday, October 26th at 6:30 p.m. The forum will feature U. of M. workers who are paid poverty wages, students, and economist Dr. David Ciscel, author of "What is a Living Wage for Memphis: 2010 Edition."


     We'll talk about what conditions are currently like for workers, whether the University can afford a living wage (read my take here), what the current living wage rate is for workers in our city, and what it will take to win an agreement to pay a living wage from the University. If you have questions, this is your chance to get them answered! If you have a topic you want us to cover at the forum, leave it in the comments section, and we'll do our best to address it.

Can you join us at the October 26th forum? Sign up here

    The forum will be held in the University Center's Bluff Room. The UC is located off Walker Ave., just north of J.M. Smith Hall. Parking is available in the garage on Zach Curlin, or in the parking lot on the other side of the railroad tracks on Southern. View a map of the campus with all buildings and parking.

    If you can't make it to the forum, but want to launch the campaign, sign our petition to U. of M. President Shirley Raines. 

Ground-breaking wage theft legislation introduced in Congress

Wednesday was an exciting day for those of us fighting wage theft in the trenches. After almost two years of organizing by folks like you, the Wage Theft Prevention and Community Partnerships Act was introduced in the House of Representatives.


The bill is exciting because it would establish a competitive grants program for community organizations like workers' centers and legal clinics to partner with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). One thing that workers' centers like WIN's have learned in the fight against wage theft is that we have special knowledge about which companies and industries in our community are committing wage theft. We also have trusting relationships with low-wage workers. Too many times, the USDOL does not have either of these. That knowledge and those relationships can be a huge asset in reaching workers who are most likely to be victims of wage theft.


Plus, even with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis' increase in the number of Wage and Hour investigators who follow up on wage theft claims, there are still only 1,000 investigators to cover the entire country.  A landmark study by the National Employment Law Project finds that two out of three low-wage workers have experienced wage theft. 1,000 investigators is  clearly not enough to serve the two-thirds of workers whose wages are being stolen. Just like police in Memphis and throughout the country have become better equipped to stop crime because of community policing, community partnerships like the ones proposed by this legislation can reduce wage theft.


But this legislation will only be passed if we create a cacophany of voices calling for it in the halls of Congress. You can help by emailing your Representative today and urging him or her to co-sponsor the legislation. We're especially hopeful that if Congressman Cohen hears from enough constituents about this, that he will come on board.

Urge your representative to co-sponsor the Wage Theft Prevention Act!

Does the tip you leave actually get to your waiter?

    Do you leave your waiter or waitress their tips on a credit card? If you do, they might not be getting all of them - or even any of them.


    On Friday, I was able to be part of a wonderfully high-spirited protest in New Orleans against Tony Moran's Restaurant. I was there speaking to the National Lawyers Guild about the importance of workers' centers and unions to protect workers' rights. We were protesting at Tony Moran's because of the restaurant's wage theft. When customers leave server's tips on their credit cards, the restaurant is taking 20% of the tip as a service fee, according to the Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC). 

   And the wage theft doesn't stop there, Labor Notes reports. The owner has two restaurants that are in the same building. Workers are given two employee identification numbers. When they are close to reaching overtime hours using one identification number, they are switched to the other number so the owner won't have to pay overtime.


     At WIN, we've seen that wage theft in the restaurant industry is all too common, both in the Memphis area, and across the country. Some restaurants don't give servers any of the tips that are left on a credit card. Some, like El Patron in Southaven, MS, haven't paid their wait staff the $2.13 an hour base wage that is required by federal law. 


So what can you do to reduce wage theft in Memphis restaurants?


1. Always tip your server in cash, even if you pay the rest of your bill by credit card. To be extra safe, hand the tip directly to the server instead of leaving it on the table, where a supervisor might pocket it.

2. Remember to be generous and fair when you tip. The law requires restaurants to pay servers the minimum wage if their tips and the $2.13 an hour base wage don't add up to $7.25 an hour for each shift. But plenty of places don't do this, or do it inconsistently.


3. When WIN sends you an action alert about wage theft, show up to picket with us, or send that email to the restaurant owner. What is most likely to stop wage theft in restaurants is owners knowing their customers aren't happy with the practice and will stop eating there if they continue to steal wages.


    Lots of you out there have worked in restaurants in the past or are working there now. What kinds of wage theft are you seeing? What's your advice for customers who want to do the right thing when they eat out?

You Raised $23,000 to Stop Wage Theft and Work for Living Wages Through This Year's Faith and Labor Picnic

As you can see from the photo slideshow above, this year's Faith and Labor Picnic was a blast! It was the ultimate party with a purpose. You raised more than $23,000 to help Workers Interfaith Network fight wage theft and campaign for a living wage at the University of Memphis. At this year's Picnic, you:

• Raised critically needed funds to support workers' rights. Despite the tough economy, you raised even more than last year. Scroll down to learn about the specific ways WIN will be putting your Picnic gifts to work.
• Celebrated what you've accomplished as a member of WIN. You got the Shelby County Sheriff and District Attorney to agree to treat certain wage theft cases as criminal offenses, among many other victories.
• Demonstrated the true meaning of Labor Day with other people of faith, workers, and allies who believe in justice in the workplace. This year, 125 of you signed living wage petitions to University of Memphis President Shirley Raines. Click here to sign our online petition.
• Enjoyed great entertainment by Alicia Washington, Valerie June, Marcela Pinilla, and Danza Azteca.
• Ate a lot of food! Approximately 100 of you volunteered at the Picnic by preparing and serving food, selling tickets, making homemade cookies, and helping with kid's activities like the dunk tank, Moon Bounce, and face painting. Thank you!

Here's how WIN will be putting your Faith and Labor Picnic gifts to work:
1) You'll campaign for a living wage with University of Memphis workers.
2) You will partner with workers to recover their stolen wages from employers.
3) You will advocate for new federal wage theft legislation to stop employers from taking advantage of workers.
4) You will train construction workers on how to prevent on-the-job injuries and deaths.

I look forward to seeing you next Labor Day! Want to make sure you get notified about all the plans for next year's Faith and Labor Picnic? Sign up for WIN's email alerts. 

UT Health Science Center Refuses to Allow Clergy, Laid Off Workers to Enter Administration Building

   In the eight years that I've been director of Workers Interfaith Network, I've been part of numerous clergy delegations that have attempted to talk to managers and owners about working conditions and problems in the workplaces. In a number of cases, we have managed to talk to a plant manager or similar person. I can think of only one occasion in which a company in a small town, which was notoriously unsafe and discriminatory in their practices, would not allow our delegation to even enter the building.     
   
   I certainly expected that when a delegation of clergy joined workers laid off from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) yesterday to talk about the layoffs, that we would be able to speak to someone from the Chancellor's Office. Instead, we were greeted by a security guard and a police officer (we must have looked like an intimidating group!) who would not allow us to enter the lobby because we did not have an appointment. When a representative of the United Campus Workers asked if security could call the Chancellor's office to let them know we were there, because he had already made multiple attempts to make an appointment, the security guard claimed he did not have the phone number of the Chancellor's office. I wonder how we would have contacted them if we had an appointment if he doesn't have the phone number? I guess I am naive, but I expected that a state institution would behave at least as well as the many union-busting private companies I have visited over the years.
     
   The refusal of UTHSC officials to return letters and calls from workers and the union, as well as their refusal to allow us to set foot in the lobby of a state building, are signs of much more serious concerns. Even though UTHSC has received over $30 million in stimulus money from the federal ARRA and state MOE funds, that money has not been used to save jobs. Thirty-three workers were laid off this month, including long-time employees like Michele Burrell, who has posted a you tube video outlining workers' concerns about the way that were laid off, severance, and recall rights. 
   
    Two of the laid-off workers I spoke with on Wednesday are single mothers who were making very modest salaries, leaving them totally unprepared for a layoff. Since workers did not get any advanced notice of the layoffs, not even one day, how could they have prepared? One of the women has a disabled son that she does not know how she will care for; the other asked where she could get health insurance after September 30th because there is no possible way she can afford COBRA. 
   
    The demographics of who was included in the layoffs is also of concern. While Chancellor Schwab is paid $550,000 a year by UT, many laid off workers were making less than $25,000 annually. When 18 of the laid off workers are African-American women, 10 are white women, and 5 are white men, you have to wonder if gender and racial discrimination could have been at work in decisions about who would be laid off. Because UTHSC has not disclosed what methods they used to decide on layoffs (such as seniority or performance reviews), there is no way to check for possible discrimination. 
    
   What do workers want?
1. UTHSC should use recovery money to stop additional layoffs.
2. Laid off workers should have recall rights for new positions that come open, and/or placement into currently open UTHSC positions.
3. Workers deserve severance pay that is equal to that of other laid off state of Tennessee workers. UTHSC workers received less than six weeks severance (with no notice of layoffs) while other state and higher education workers have received up to four months of salary and up to two years of tuition assistance. Because the current severance package only goes through September 30th, workers will not be eligible for any possible bonus money the state may give.
4. UTHSC should fully disclose how layoffs were conducted to verify there weren't irregularities or discrimination based on race, gender, or age.

    You can support laid off UTHSC workers by calling Chancellor Schwab's office at 901-448-4796. Urge him to use federal stimulus money to save workers' jobs, and call on him to meet with laid off workers to hear their concerns. You can also send an email on United Campus Workers' website.

   UT needs to know that the Memphis community wants stimulus funds to be used for their proper purpose: preventing layoffs in a time where it will be incredibly difficult for workers to find new jobs. 



    

Living Wage Would Make Huge Difference to U. of Memphis Workers

      Can the University of Memphis afford to pay its workers a living wage? With state budget cuts, it's certainly a legitimate question. It's interesting how when low-wage workers, who need a raise the most, call for a living wage, people ask about the cost. But can the University really afford to pay Athletic Director R.C. Johnson $307,500 (which is even more than President Raines earns)? His pay is 21 times higher than what some janitorial workers at the University make, and I don't hear a lot of questions about his pay.

      I'm not saying that janitorial workers at the University and Director Johnson or President Raines should all be paid the same salary. But I do believe that the University has a moral obligation to make sure all its workers earn at least enough that they aren't forced to live in poverty. Or work two or three jobs to make ends meet, and therefore can rarely spend time with their children. Or have to apply for Food Stamps just to put groceries on the table. Until all workers at the University are paid a living wage, perks like company cars and entertainment budgets - only available to a handful of top-paid people - should be put on hold.

     Unlike some town-gown relationships, the University of Memphis shows real concern for the problems like poverty and crime that so many people in our city struggle with. One example of that concern is two living wage studies that the University of Memphis' Center for Research on Women produced in 1999 and in 2002.  These studies helped WIN determine the living wage rate for the City of Memphis and Shelby County living wage ordinances. Now the University has the opportunity to set an example for all employers in our community by paying a living wage to its own employees. You can help press the University to do this by signing WIN's petition to President Raines.

     The benefits of a living wage to workers are pretty obvious. Not having to worry about whether you can pay the rent, buy enough groceries, and get the school clothes your child needs is just one benefit. If you've had to work a second job to pay the bills, quitting it gives you time to spend with your children, become more involved in their education, or be active in the community.

     But there are significant benefits to paying a living wage for employers too. For example, when the San Francisco Airport began paying a living wage, turnover among security screeners dropped from 95 percent to just 19 percent. Less turnover means more experienced workers, and less time spent on recruitment and training. A study of the Los Angeles living wage ordinance found that absenteeism among workers went down after the living wage was implemented, boosting productivity.

    I'm glad that so much research demonstrates that living wage is good for both employers and employees. What's most important, is that businesses, including the University, recognize their moral obligation to their workers. The workers who make the University's success possible should be rewarded with wages that are at least enough to keep them out of poverty. If you agree that a hard day's work deserves a fair day's pay, please sign the petition to President Raines today.


  

Anti-immigrant measures promote wage theft

     Even though Arizona's controversial SB 1070 isn't scheduled to take effect until tomorrow, worker rights advocates in Arizona are already reporting a marked spike in wage theft reported by immigrant workers. As my co-workers from our national organization report on the In These Times blog, employers are telling undocumented workers in Phoenix "go ahead and try to make me pay you."
  
    Let's be clear: most workers who experience some form of wage theft are not undocumented: they're citizens or immigrants who have legal papers to work. But anti-immigrant measures like Arizona's SB 1070, and many that were considered in the Tennessee legislature this year, help create an environment where wage theft is more likely to happen to undocumented workers.
    
    That's because when workers know they can be arrested and eventually deported by local police, they're not likely to trust any government agency enough to report wage theft. Unscrupulous employers can embrace a pattern of wage theft, followed by firing employers who complain, knowing that few workers will want to speak up if deportation is the consequence. And if you're a dishonest employer, why wouldn't you hire even more workers and pay them below minimum wage if you knew there weren't going to be consequences? SB 1070 is already driving undocumented workers further underground where they can be taken advantage of even more than before.
    
    On the flip side, strong enforcement of wage and safety laws lessens the incentive that dishonest employers have to hire undocumented workers. And, it gets to the root of the problem: exploitation by some employers who want to operate in sweatshop conditions.
    
    Even though this year has had many bleak moments for those who believe in justice for all workers, there are some hopeful signs and potential new strategies out there. The Progressive States Network reports that in several states, worker rights advocates have been able to change the direction of anti-immigrant bills. They did it by adding amendments to them that strengthened workers' rights.

• In Connecticut, a bill that made it a state crime to hire undocumented immigrants was changed to a bill that went after all employers who don't pay workers' compensation. This is a win for all workers who are risking their lives on the job without the safety net of workers' compensation. 
• A Kansas anti-immigrant bill died after amendments were added to it that would severely punish employers who break wage laws.

       What other ways do you think we strengthen workers' rights while pressing for real immigration reform?

Wage Theft on Menu at Safari World Tapas Bar

A worker from yet another downtown restaurant is partnering with Workers Interfaith Network to try to win her stolen wages back. Zorina Bowen worked at Safari World Tapas Bar on South Main St. as a cook for three weeks last summer to help out the owner, who was a friend. She was only paid $440 of her wages, and she is still owned $1,493. She was fired when she asked for the rest of her pay. 



As you may have seen on ABC 24's news last week, WIN members joined with Ms. Bowen to picket the restaurant after many attempts to talk with management. A manager came out to belittle Ms. Bowen for not having enough money to hire a lawyer, and refused to talk privately with WIN staff about our records which show how much she is owed.

You can support Ms. Bowen in her struggle for justice by emailing Safari World Tapas Bar and telling them wage theft is unacceptable. Use their website's Contact Us feature to call on Safari manager Faatimah Muhammad to pay Zorina Bowen the entire $1,493 that she is owed for the work she did at the restaurant. Let her know that you will not be visiting Safari until the restaurant follows the law and pays their workers for all hours worked.

It Takes a Village to Raise a Social Justice Organization

Parents know what it’s like to see your child one moment and wonder “How did she get so big, so strong, and so smart so suddenly?” As WIN’s founder, I kind of feel that way as we celebrate our 8th anniversary. How did an organization that started with a handful of people and enough donations to last four months become a powerful force for justice in our community?

    Although the exact way things turn out is always a bit of a mystery, what is clear is that you are the ones who have made WIN what is today: you—the active, generous members who have given of your resources and yourselves. God has worked through you to make WIN the place that workers struggling against injustice can turn to.

    Many times, people point to me and the other WIN staff members - Alfredo, Kyle, and James as the reason for our success. And I'll be the first to applaud our staff for their creativity, perseverance, and passion. But the truth is, just like it takes a village to raise a child, it also take a village to raise up a strong social justice organization. 

   So take a moment to celebrate some of the victories you’ve accomplished over the past eight years. And please add your memories, reflections, and hopes for the future - I really want to hear them!

• June 2002: A handful of religious and labor leaders officially launched WIN this month (originally called the Mid-South Interfaith Network for Economic Justice) so that people of faith would have a chance to take effective action to raise wages and improve working conditions for low-wage workers in Memphis. I started beating the bushes for interested people soon after, which is when I met many of you who showed up at a picket, sent in a donation, or opened your congregation up to learn about our work.
• September 2003: The Memphis Living Wage Campaign is launched to press the City Council to pay City workers and contracted employees a living wage. Your action, from rallies to prayer vigils to fasting,    result in a city living wage ordinance being passed in 2006, and a county ordinance in 2007, raising the wages of thousands of workers.
• February 2004: WIN members fill up the buses to Nashville to lobby against a proposed legislature bill that would have banned living wage ordinances in Tennessee cities, as well as any other local laws that raise workers' wages like prevailing wage laws for construction workers. You're successful in defeating it (and you defeated it again in 2009 when a similar bill was introduced).
• February 2005: WIN joins forces with AFSCME Local 1733 and Grassroots Leadership in successfully rallying against an effort to turn control of Shelby County's Correctional Facility over to a private, for-profit company. 
• July 2005: Fred’s warehouse workers win their first union contract, raising wages and improving working conditions after years of trying to establish a union. You helped send them to victory through a 40 Day Rolling Fast, picketing at Fred’s stores, and delegations of faith leaders to meet with management. 
• September 2007: Ready to partner with some of Memphis’ most vulnerable workers experiencing wage theft and other violations of their basic rights, you enable WIN to launch the Memphis Workers’ Center. Today the Workers’ Center has partnered with 42 workers to recover more than $177,000 in stolen wages, workers’ compensation, and discrimination settlements.
• April 2008: Action by WIN members leads the City Council to raise the wages of City of Memphis temporary workers from $10 an hour to $12 an hour, to make up for their lack of health care benefits.
• April 2009: The Shelby County Commission passes a prevailing wage ordinance after WIN members join forces with the Memphis Building Trades Council to lobby for its passage. The ordinance ensures that workers on county construction projects are paid sustainable wages, and that the County receives quality work done by trained workers.

What are the significant moments that you think of in WIN's history, that led us where we are today? What lessons can we learn from our past that will help us do our work right now? What is it that drew you to get involved in the worker justice movement through WIN?

Wage Theft is a Crime Rally Delivers Results

Last week, WIN members showed once again that you are powerful when we stand together against injustice! More than 40 people rallied at the Shelby County Courthouse, calling on Sheriff Luttrell and District Attorney Gibbons to treat wage theft as a crime.

Jose Leon and Bill Bright of the District Attorney's Office receive more than 1,200 petition signatures on wage theft that you helped collect.

The rally delivered results: Sheriff Luttrell called the day before the rally and agreed to contact Attorney Gibbons to request a joint meeting with WIN to discuss our proposal to criminalize wage theft. At the rally, attorneys Bill Bright and Jose Leon of the District Attorney's office came out to meet the crowd and receive over 1,200 petition signatures that you helped collect. They also indicated they are willing to meet with WIN to discuss our wage theft proposal.

We will keep you posted about developments in the campaign.

Be sure to attend our Sheriff Candidate forum on Thursday, April 29th to make sure that no matter who our next Sheriff is, wage theft is on his agenda! The forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, located at 692 Poplar Ave.

The non-partisan forum is open to all candidates for Shelby County Sheriff and all community members. Workers and community members will talk about the crisis of wage theft, and ask candidates for Sheriff how they will address the crisis if elected.

Even if Sheriff Luttrell develops a policy to treat wage theft as a crime before he leaves office, the next Sheriff's actions will determine whether or not the policy is enforced. Show Sheriff candidates just how important this issue is to the community by attending the candidate forum!

View press coverage of last week's rally: A story in The Commercial Appeal and a guest column on wage theft by WIN board member Erika Eubanks.

Learn more about the Wage Theft is a Crime campaign

Want to Work at WIN? We Need a Bilingual Administrator

Are you passionate about social justice, and want to see every worker treated fairly? Consider joining the staff of WIN. We currently have an opening for a half-time bilingual administrator. This is a new position, because as we've grown, so has the need for a staff person who can handle a variety of administrative areas, along with a few organizing and fundraising tasks.

Some of the things this person will be doing will be handling calls from workers in Spanish and English, and doing an initial intake process with workers whose wages have been stolen; recruiting and managing volunteers; managing the database; and assisting workers at our weekly worker rights meeting.

I'm looking for someone who is fluent in English and Spanish; cares about social justice; is organized, friendly, and professional; and has skills using a database, Microsoft software, and email. Find out more about the position and how to apply at WIN's website.