ithaca

The Tompkins County Workers’ Center/Jobs with Justice is very pleased  to report the success of the student-community campaign to win a living wage for over 100 food service workers at Ithaca College. Beginning in September, according to an announcement by Ithaca College and the Sodexo Corporation, these workers will be paid at least the Tompkins County Living Wage, currently $11.11/hour. Those IC dining workers paid presently above the Living Wage, will see a commensurate increase as well.

Workers currently are paid as little as $8.19/hour, so the increase will total over 35 percent!

On December 10th, the New York State Department of Labor's (DOL) Commissioner Patricia Smith, announced in a joint press conference [video here] with the Tompkins County Workers' Center and Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson, the findings of a targeted DOL investigation of 22 Tompkins County restaurants.  In May 2009, investigators from the DOL's Division of Labor Standards and Unemployment Insurance found that five of the restaurants - 23 percent - were in full compliance with labor laws.  However, the other 17 restaurants - 77 percent of those visited - were found to have violated New York State Labor Laws.  Specifically, the DOL found that $87,925 is owed to 93 employees at 6 restaurants for violations such as failure to pay minimum wage and illegal deductions from workers' paychecks.  Commissioner Smith said:

Lakeside worker Lana Wegner-Harden, joined by SEIU Organizer Baschki Leo, Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, and Tompkins County Workers' Center/JwJ Organizer, Linda Holzbaur Speaking at Tuesday Press Conference (Photo: Marty Luster, Photo News Service)

One hundred thirty workers at Lakeside Nursing Home in Ithaca announced Tuesday (supported by their union SEIU1199, Assemblyperson Barbara Lifton; Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson; Pastor Rich Rose of the First Baptist Church in Ithaca, the Workers' Center, families of residents, and various community organizations) their intention to fight requirements by the new owners of Lakeside, the Peregrine Health Management Company.  Health care workers at Lakeside have been told they must reapply for jobs, will have their wages lowered, and lose retirement pensions when Peregrine, take over as owners on November 1st.