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Victories
In partnership with local unions, community
organizations, and faith
bodies,
Workers Interfaith Network has helped bring about
the following victories with
low-wage workers:
2009
Partnered with workers to recover over $121,000 in unpaid
wages,
workers' compensation payments, and discrimination remedies
owed to them
by unscrupulous employers.
WIN's Memphis Workers Center project educates low-wage workers
about their rights and uses a combination of organizing, negotiation, and
legal
assistance to win back unpaid wages.
In partnership with the Memphis Building Trades Council, passed the Shelby
County prevailing wage ordinance.
The prevailing wage ensures that workers
on county
construction projects are paid good wages and benefits in keeping with
the skills and training required of their craft. Prevailing wage laws also
can mean
safer working conditions and higher quality work
performed for a government body. Defeated a state bill to repeal living wage ordinances
and
ban local governments from raising workers wages at private companies.
In partnership with faith, labor, and community groups from Middle and East
Tennessee,
WIN's members ensured that the Tennessee House rejected
this bill which would have
overturned the
Memphis and Shelby County ordinances, lowered
workers'
wages and taken control away from local officials best equipped to
decide on
living wage ordinances for their local communities.
2008
Partnered with workers to recover over $29,000 in unpaid
wages
and workers' compensation payments owed to them by
unscrupulous
employers.
Covered More Workers Under the Memphis Living Wage Ordinance
WIN members worked with the new City Council to expand and
improve the living
wage ordinance passed by the Council in 2006.
Now, contract workers for Memphis
Light, Gas, and Water and being
raised up to a living wage. Temporary City of Memphis
workers also
saw their wages raised by $2 per hour to $12 an hour to help offset the
fact that the City does not provide them with benefits. 2007
Passed a Living Wage for County
Workers and Workers on County Contracts
Lobbying by WIN members led the Shelby County Commission to follow the example of the
Memphis City Council
in May 2007 by passing a living wage ordinance
that brings county
workers and workers employed on county contracts up to a wage of $10 per hour
with insurance or $12 without insurance. The ordinance also includes an annual
cost of living increase so that workers' wages won't fall behind.
Congress Passed First Minimum Wage
Increase in a Decade
In partnership with Let Justice
Roll, Interfaith Worker Justice, and hundreds of national
and local
groups, WIN members worked for the passage of the first federal minimum
wage increase after a decade without a raise.
Won a 30% Pay Increase with Low Wage Workers at
Vanderbilt
In coalition with the many Middle Tennessee faith, labor, and community
partners,
Workers Interfaith Network pressed Vanderbilt University to raise
their
workers up to a living wage. In March 2007, 600 Vanderbilt workers won a
contract that took a big step toward the living wage by
raising the lowest paid
workers' wages by 30%.
Protected Quality Benefits and
Working Conditions at Medegen
WIN organized Fayette County clergy
and other people of faith to help workers at the
Medegen medical parts plant
win a fair contract after the company
demanded cuts
from workers, exhausting 12 hour shifts,
and laid off union leaders who participated in a protest.
2006
Won the state's first living
wage ordinance in the Memphis City Council
The
Memphis Living Wage Coalition, which WIN spearheaded, won the state's
first
living wage ordinance in the Memphis City Council on November 21st, 2006,
after a three year campaign.
The living wage ordinance
guarantees a living wage to
workers on
city service contracts.
In October, the
Council also passed new requirements for the city's PILOT
property tax freeze program, including requiring companies that get
new PILOTs to pay living wages and provide health insurance benefits.
Won a living wage for
City of Memphis workers
Long term work by Workers
Interfaith Network and its partners in the Memphis Living
Wage Coalition led the Memphis City Council to adopt a living wage
policy for its
full-time and temporary workers, raising the
wages of hundreds of low-wage workers who keep
our city
running.
2005
Won a Fair Contract for Fred's
Warehouse Workers
In 2005,
Fred’s warehouse workers signed a union contract after more than
3 years of struggle for dignity and justice on the job. Workers Interfaith
Network members stood with Fred’s workers and
their union UNITE-HERE as together
they defended their rights. The
combination of workers’ determination and
the faithful witness of
Workers Interfaith Network won a contract which
includes a pay raise,
reduced health care costs, and a seniority and
grievance system which
will stop Fred’s previous practices of discrimination
and favoritism.
2003
Challenged the PictSweet company
to end to workplace abuses
at their California mushroom farm.
Beginning in 2002, Workers Interfaith
Network assisted the PictSweet workers
organizing with the
United Farm Workers
by holding prayer vigils at the company’s national
headquarters in Bells, TN,
as well as meeting with grocery store managers
who sell PictSweet products.
After more than a decade of struggle, the
workers finally won a contract that
includes full family health care, a
significant pay raise, and better safety procedures.
The
future victories we can win with Mid-South workers depend on
people just
like you!
Join
Workers
Interfaith Network today.
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