workers' rights boards

In addition to building alliances between labor and community groups, Jobs with Justice built a new structure - Workers’ Rights Boards – to combat the lack of an adequate legal framework to support worker and economic justice issues . With Boards in 20 cities and a National Workers' rights Board, we have a proven track record that these institutions made up of community leaders, religious leaders, academics, elected officials, and other prominent members of the community can be effective vehicles to address workers’ and community concerns. Although the Boards have no legal authority, the last 13 years have taught us that the local structure of the Boards can produce real results; where the withered legal framework is slow to move, the Boards can spur important action.

Leaders who agree to serve on a WRB review worker complaints and often conduct public hearings - giving employers the chance to participate - and then seek follow-up meetings with management to report their findings and, if possible, resolve the dispute. WRBs may also use letters, delegations, or other tactics to engage employers. WRBs also hear cases regarding social and economic justice issues as well. WRBs throughout the country have recently held hearings on the minimum wage, health care, and immigrant rights.

I know workers fired for things as simple as setting off metal detectors at their plants because of metal slips in their brassieres. Even if there is no union and the employee has not violated any labor laws, we need to raise the community's outrage over violations of workers' dignity. -Mario Bueno, Progreso Latino a founder of RI JwJ WRB