National Days of Action Against Wage Theft

Interfaith Worker Justice, national faith and labor coalitions, workers' centers and congregations across the country are set to host actions and services calling for Just Jobs. 

Across the country, the IWJ network is lifting up the need for jobs that are just- jobs that pay a living wage and offer benefits. We need jobs with employers who do not steal wages from employees. 

Wage theft is illegal, and it occurs when workers are not paid the wages they have earned for their work. It includes violations of minimum wage laws; failing to pay overtime; forcing workers to work off the clock; failing to pay workers their final paychecks; misclassifying employees as independent contractors; and not paying workers at all.

Join a 2011 Wage Theft action near you:

Southern Maine Workers' Center, Portland, Maine

• The Southern Maine Workers' Cetner is set to host a live, interactive mini-theater event to tell the story about wage theft.
• Saturday, Nov. 19 at noon
• Located at the daytime site of Occupy Portland at Monument Square
• Contact Ali Mann for more information.

Tompkins County Workers' Center, Ithaca, N.Y.

• The Tompkins County Workers Center is set to kick-off an intense worker outreach and public education campaign, involving op-ed and canvassing of retail locations across county
• Thursday, Nov. 17
• Contact Pete Meyers for more information.

Workers Center of Central New York, Syracuse, N.Y.

• Workers Center of Central New York will join a march with Occupy Syracuse ending near a local church.
• Thursday, Nov. 17
• Contact Rebecca Fuentes for more information.

Arise Chicago, Chicago

• Picket action is set for a local car wash
• Contact Adam Kader for more information.

McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago

• Wage Theft panel discussion is set to discuss the importance of just jobs, worker rights, wage theft and what people of faith can do to stand in solidarity with those who cry out for economic justice.
• Speakers include the Rev. CJ Hawking, Executive Director of Arise Chicago Worker Center, and workers who have experienced wage theft.
• Thursday, Nov. 16, 3:30-5 p.m.
• Contact Sung Yeon Choi-Morrow for more information.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chicago

• A research action is set at the Dept. of Labor to raise awareness for cases of wage theft at local business highlighting paycheck ambiguities.
• Friday, Nov. 18. 
• Contact Jennifer Schaefer for more information.

Madison Workers' Rights Center, Madison, Wis.

• The Workers' Rights Center in Madison, Wis. is set to hold workplace rights training sessions for workers.
• The trainings will be held in conjunction with the four-day visit from Mexican Consulate
• Thursday, Nov. 17-20.
• Contact Patrick Hickey for more information.

Workers Interfaith Network, Memphis, Tenn.

• Workers Interfaith Network, a workers' center, is organizing wage theft Sabbaths: faith communities are set to develop worship services focusing on wage theft.
• Thursday, Nov. 17 - Sunday, Nov. 20
• Contact Alfredo Peña for more information.

Northwest Arkansas Worker Justice Center, Fayetteville, Ark.

• Northwest Arkansas Worker Justice center is hosting a public forum at a local law office with a representative from the Federal DOL, local businesswoman and a worker who has experienced wage theft.
• After the public forum, supporters are set to visit the restaurant to demand the employer pay back wages for the worker.
• Thursday, Nov. 17
• Contact Fernadno Garcia for more information.

Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center

• Workers and allies will visit Texas police stations with wage claims, an action holding law enforcement agencies accountable for enforcing Texas wage theft law.
• Thursday, Nov. 17
• Contact Laura Boston for more information.

Young Workers United, San Francisco

• Young Workers United will host a public forum at Occupy San Francisco
• Speakers include a supervisor who sponsored the city wage theft ordinance that was passed this year, the new mayor (invited), and allied groups from Progressive Workers Association and labor council.
• Thursday, Nov. 17
• Contact Tiffany Crain for more information.

Somos Un Pueblo Unido, Santa Fe, N.M.

• A press conference is set with several wage theft victims organizing for their rights on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 10:00 a.m. at the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
• A Wage Theft Clinic and Worker Rights Forum is set for Thursday, Nov. 17 at 5:30 PM.
• Contact Marcela Díaz for more information.

We are One, National

• The We are One movement is calling for the creation of just jobs.
• Join one of the more than 20 actions during Nov. 17-20.
• For more information, Click Here.