Mississippi Senate passes Arizona-style anti-immigrant bill

"When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the foreigner. The foreigner who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the foreigner as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God." - Leviticus 19:33-34

   Yesterday the Mississippi Senate passed an anti-immigrant bill similar to Arizona SB 1070. The bill would authorize local law enforcement officers to check a person's immigration status if "reasonable suspicion" exists that the person may be in the country illegally during any "lawful stop, detention or arrest," according to the Jackson Clarion Ledger.

   It's not clear yet whether the Mississippi House, which defeated a similar bill last year, will pass the legislation.

   The passage of this bill breaks my heart and angers me at the same time. Hebrew and Christian scriptures instruct us over and over again to love immigrants as ourselves, and to treat them as we would our fellow citizens. Both Moses and Jesus lived for a time as refugees in a strange land. Yet whenever anti-immigrant measures are pushed forward, some of their loudest proponents are people who say their Christian faith is more important to them than anything.

   This bill also disturbs me because it's just one more example of a distraction from the real solution to our country's immigration crisis: comprehensive immigration reform that allows hard-working people who have already built lives in the United States to earn a path to becoming citizens.
  
   Law enforcement should be worried about this bill. Trust between immigrant communities and the police is already very low. If Mississippi follows Arizona's path, we can be certain that many immigrants will be afraid to report crimes that happen to them, which only makes those crimes more likely to happen.

   The Mississippi bill specifically instructs law enforcement that race or national origin can be used as suspicion that someone is undocumented. That may be better than not mentioning racial profiling at all, but how do we imagine officers are going to decide who seems suspicious and who does not? Racial profiling would likely still happen, and then police and sheriff's departments will be facing discrimination lawsuits.

   If you think this sounds like an exaggeration, take a look at this lawsuit filed in Nashville when the city almost had a U.S. citizen deported. He was suspected of being undocumented because he spoke poor English. And by the way, the Mississippi bill passed yesterday says officers can use poor English as grounds for checking someone's immigration status.

   When will people of faith began to take seriously the commandment to love our immigrant neighbors as ourselves? When will we speak up with our brothers and sisters who daily face the fear that they will be torn from their loved ones and deported just because of a traffic violation? When will we turn to the real work of developing immigration reform, instead of playing to people's worst fears and prejudices?

   How long, O Lord, how long?

Is there a ladder to climb?

   This Saturday, I was privileged to hear green jobs guru Van Jones speak at the anniversary celebration for the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center. Jones began by talking about the lessons his father, a working class man, taught him. His father stressed to him that it was up to Van to make sure he took the steps to climb out of poverty. If he didn't have the mindset to make that climb, and didn't do the hard work it required, nothing else would matter.

   But, his father said, "it's society's job to make sure that you have a ladder to climb." Jones said, and I agree, that this is where we are failing as a country right now.

  Hearing these remarks, I immediately thought of the hard-working people, mostly women, who are paid poverty wages to keep the University of Memphis clean. America has promised them that their hard work will bring rewards. They rise every day while you and I are still asleep to begin work several hours before the sun rises. Many of them have worked at the University for years, putting in the time you'd think it takes to rise to a decent pay rate. But still, they're paid poverty wages.

   Who can make sure workers at the University of Memphis have a ladder to climb out of poverty? There's two groups that can make a living wage a reality for these workers. One is the administration of University President Shirley Raines. That's who we focused on at the speak out for a living wage held in October. But the state legislature also has a big influence on whether these workers will be paid the living wage for their hard work. That's who we're focusing on at our prayer vigil this Saturday.

   At the vigil, we'll pray for the upcoming legislative session. We'll hear from University workers. We'll urge legislators to pass equitable pay raises for workers, who've had no raise at all in three years. We'll call on legislators to reject any attempts to repeal living wage ordinances we've already won in Memphis and Shelby County. And we'll hear from Rep. Jeanne Richardson and other legislators about their plans for the living wage over the next few months of the legislative session.

   Please join us this Saturday - make sure that workers don't stand alone. Be part of sending a strong, clear message to our legislature: now is the time for a living wage.

Vigil for a living wage:

asking our legislators to do their part

Saturday, Jan. 22nd at 1:00 p.m.

Wesley Foundation at University of Memphis

3625 Midland Ave.

Limited parking available behind the Wesley Foundation. Additional parking at St. Luke's United Methodist Church at the corner of S. Highland and Midland.

The vigil is indoors, so there's no need to worry about bad weather.

King's Words About Labor Ring True Today

    As we approach Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, I know I'll be hearing a lot of quotes and excerpts of his magnificant speeches. We'll probably also see a lot of stories where various reporters ask people whether they think we have moved closer to achieving Dr. King's dream.

    But most of the news stories and events this weekend will focus only on Dr. King's work to end segregation, while giving little attention to his major emphasis on economic justice, and peace. (One big exception will be the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center's anniversary celebration, which will feature green jobs leader Van Jones. They still have a few tickets left for Saturday night's dinner and program - get them now!)

    Maybe we tend to focus on Dr. King's work on integration more than economic justice because it seems like we can point to more signs of progress in the breaking down of racial barriers. But Dr. King's goals for racial justice were broader than a mere end to segregation, and he understood that racial and economic justice are intertwined. I think he would point to the continuing racial disparity in unemployment rates as an issue of both racial and economic oppression.

   It's up to us to remind our community that Dr. King came to Memphis to support a labor struggle. If we want to continue Dr. King's legacy, we must listen not only to the "I Have a Dream" speech, but also speeches like the one he gave in Memphis on March 18, 1968 to the sanitation workers. (Unfortunately there aren't copies of this speech online, but you can read it in the new book All Labor Has Dignity).

   A few memorable lines from this Memphis speech that have relevance for us today:

• "You are reminding, not only Memphis, but you are reminding the nation that it is a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages."
• "Do you know that most of the poor people in our country are working every day? And they are making wages so low that they cannot begin to function in the mainstream of the economic life of our nation. These are facts which must be seen, and it is criminal to have people working on a full-time basis and a full-time job getting part-time income."
• "We can all get more together than we can apart; we can get more organized together than we can apart. And this is the way we gain power. Power is the ability to achieve purpose, power is the ability to effect change. And we need power."
• "Never forget that freedom is not something that is voluntarily given by the oppressor. It is something that must be demanded by the oppressed."

   Dr. King laid out our work for us. Let's just make sure we remember the breadth and depth of his work when we talk about how to continue his legacy.

Is this your year to volunteer?

   Maybe you've heard the stories of Mid-South workers getting their wages stolen by employers. Or you want more workers, like those working at the University of Memphis, to be paid a living wage. Or perhaps you're troubled by workers being fired just for trying to establish a union. But what can you do about it? The problems are big, and you're just one person, right?


   There's not doubt these are big problems. But the good news is that there are simple things that you can do. Things that will have a big impact on whether workers are treated fairly, because you won't be doing these things alone. You know what makes big huge difference in whether WIN can achieve worker rights victories? Our volunteers.


   Volunteering with WIN is a rewarding experience, as veteran volunteer Earline Duncan can attest. Earline shares that she's "stayed active in WIN because there's nothing like seeing the faces of workers light up when they benefit from the work you and I do through WIN. After we won the City of Memphis living wage ordinance, I remember being hugged by a city worker at a senior center. She was so happy to be getting a living wage, because now she earned enough to meet her basic needs."


   Volunteers Mario Mercado and Cristina Condori also have great volunteer stories to share. Cristina says "it's very satisfying to teach workers about their rights. We still remember a worker from Guatemala who seemed so timid during one of the worker rights workshops Mario led. He wouldn't even speak that night. But then later, we saw him handing out WIN's worker rights flyers to workers waiting outside a temporary agency. Being part of experiences like those is why we're members of WIN."


   As you make your plans for 2011, why not become a WIN volunteer? Some volunteers help out on a weekly or monthly basis, while others volunteer just a few times a year. Some of our volunteers help out in the office preparing mailing. Some help with phone banks to make sure people show up for important rallies and actions. Other volunteers join us on the picket lines and at prayer vigils. Some Spanish-speaking volunteers train workers on their rights at our Thursday night worker rights meeting.


   If you're interested in volunteering, please fill out our online form to let me know what types of volunteer work you're most interested in. You can also let me know whether weekdays, weeknights, or weekends are best, and how often you'd like to be asked to volunteer.


   Then we'll contact you about opportunities that match your interest and availability. And the next victory WIN achieves for living wages or worker rights, you'll be able to say "I was part of that!"

Thanks for Funding the First 42 Days of WIN's 2011 Work

    When I sent out our year end appeals by mail and email in November, I let you know that as Workers Interfaith Network prepared for 2011, we needed your help. After adding up the donations and grants we were sure that we could count on, we still needed to raise $149 to fully fund each day of WIN's work for 2011. I asked if you would consider funding a day, a half day, or an hour or two of WIN's work.

    Your generous response was amazing, and has given WIN a strong start for this year. Fifty seven of you responded with a generous year end gift, fully funding the first 42 days of this year! Thank you to everyone who made a gift.

   Today, you made it possible for me to begin recruiting folks for our living wage vigil with University of Memphis workers that will take place this month. Today, you made it possible for Alfredo to design new trainings for immigrant workers on how to stay safe on the job. You made it possible for Kyle to answer questions from workers who've experienced wage theft about what to do next.

   And because of your generosity, we've now met the matching gift challenge that was extended to us by the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis!

   You're showing already that 2011 is going to be a great year to stand up for justice with workers!

Rep. Cohen co-sponsors wage theft legislation because of your calls

   Your participation in WIN's press conference and your calls to Congressman Cohen on the National Day of Action Against Wage Theft made a difference! Rep. Cohen has now co-sponsored three bills that could make a big difference in the fight against wage theft.

   Please take a moment to thank Congressman Cohen for standing up for fair pay. You can send him an email or make a thank you call to David Greengrass, Rep. Cohen's senior legislative assistant at 202-225-3265.  

   So, what are the bills that Congressman Cohen co-sponsored, and what difference will they make to workers if passed?

1) The Wage Theft and Community Partnerships Act (HR 6268)
What would it do?
HR 6268 would allow the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division to establish a community grants program. These grants would be given to knowledgeable, experienced community and labor groups who have dealt with wage theft. These groups would partner with the Department of Labor to prevent wage theft by educating workers about their wage rights and what to do if their wages are stolen, and to educate employers about their responsibilities to follow wage laws.

Why does it matter to workers?
As I posted a couple of months ago, this bill represents the kind of "community policing" approach that's needed if the Department of Labor is going to reach workers who are most vulnerable to wage theft. Workers' Centers, labor unions, and legal clinics that have experience with wage theft often know best which industries or employers in their community commit the most wage theft. They also have built relationships of trust with low-wage workers. As New York state's Wage Watch program is showing, these types of partnerships are powerful.

2) The Wage Theft Prevention Act (HR 3303/S 3877)
What would it do?
HR 3303 makes sure that workers don't miss out on the chance to get back their stolen wages just because their employers manage to drag out investigations by the Department of Labor. This legislation would freeze the statute of limitations for recovering wages from the date that the Department of Labor informs an employer that he or she is being investigated for wage theft. The legislation would also allow workers to file private lawsuits to try to recover their wages while the Department of Labor investigation is going on.

Why does it matter to workers?
An investigation of the Department of Labor by the Government Accountability Office in 2009 found that often the DOL took so long to complete wage investigations that the statute of limitations ran out and workers lost their opportunity to get their back pay. Some employers are aware of this and are uncooperative during investigations so that they take longer. Having the right to file a private lawsuit would mean that workers have other options if the Department of Labor is taking a long time to investigate their case.

3) The Fair Playing Field Act of 2010 (HR 6128/S 3786)
What would it do?
This bill closes a tax loophole that allows businesses to misclassify employees as independent contractors. It would allow the International Revenue Service to issue guidance to employers about who can be considered an independent contractor versus who must be considered an employee. It would also amend the tax code, to end reduced penalties that currently exist when employers faile to withhold income taxes and pay FICA taxes.

Why does it matter to workers?
Misclassification can occur in any industry, but the problem is rampant in construction. Employees are guaranteed minimum wage, overtime pay, workers compensation coverage, unemployment insurance coverage, and their employer pays half of their Social Security and Medicare taxes. Independent contractors, on the other hand, do not have any of these gurantees and they must pay the entire portion of the Social Security and Medicare taxes. By misclassifying workers, unethical business avoid normal payroll procedures and paying taxes and benefits required by law.

   As you can see, all three of these bills are needed to prevent and punish wage theft, and Congressman Cohen deserves to be thanked for his support.

Vigil for a living wage: Asking our legislators to do their part

At a forum on a living wage for University of Memphis workers held in October, Thelma Rimmer and Emma Davis, who are members of the United Campus Workers, shared how difficult it is to provide for their families on $8 an hour.

Vigil for a living wage:

Asking our legislators to do their part

Saturday, January 22nd at 1:00 p.m.

Wesley Foundation at the University of Memphis

3625 Midland Ave.

(see parking info at the end of this post)

This is an indoor vigil, so don't worry about bad weather!

    At the living wage forum held at the University in October, members of the United Campus Workers union shared how they have to juggle bills every month. University employees have faced wage freezes for the past three years, and this year the cost of family health insurance premiums that employees pay jumped 32 percent.

   While this is a difficult situation for any University staff or faculty member, for workers who make around $8 an hour, it's a crisis situation. President Raines and the rest of the administration at University of Memphis must make a living wage a priority as they make budgets.

   But it's not just the University administration that has an obligation to act for a living wage. The Tennessee Legislature also has a big impact on the wages that higher education workers earn. At our January 22nd vigil, we will be praying for the upcoming legislative session. State legislators will also be asked to share their plans to take action for a living wage.

We will urge our legislators from Shelby County to act for a living wage, especially by:

1) Enacting equitable pay raises for higher education employees. Workers' pay has been frozen for three years now. Any pay raises that the legislature passes should be done in a way that lessens poverty pay, and not in ways that grow pay inequality between the highest and lowest paid workers. Legislators should pass equal dollar pay raises instead of percentage raises.

.   What's the difference between these two types of raises, and why does it matter? Let's say the legislature voted to give all higher education employees a 3 percent raise. If you make $15,600 a year, as a number of janitorial workers do, your raise will only be $468. But if you are administrator who makes $100,000 a year, your raise will be $3,000. The gap between the lowest and highest paid employees will only continue to grow.

   An equal dollar raise (for example a $1,000 raise for all employees) makes the biggest difference to workers who are struggling to get by, and it keeps the pay gap from growing even bigger than it already is.

2) Rejecting any legislation that would overturn living wage and prevailing wage laws that Memphis and Shelby County have already passed. Last year, Tennessee House members narrowly rejected anti-living wage legislation. We expect that certain anti-worker legislators will introduce the legislation again this year. If passed, it would undo years of hard work that you did to get fair wages for workers on city and county contracts. Workers on these contracts could see steep pay cuts if the legislature bans local living wage laws.

For the January 22nd vigil to be a success, we need you! Please join us at 1:00 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation for this indoor prayer vigil.

There is limited parking behind the Wesley Foundation. St. Luke's United Methodist Church, which is located at 480 S. Highland, just two blocks west of the Wesley Foundation, has plentiful parking that you can use that day.