Union Labor News
October 2004
Nearing its second anniversary, the Workers' Rights Center is celebrating some solid victories having collected $35,000 in wage claims for low-wage and immigrant workers in the Madison area.
Just recently, one worker received a $9,000 settlement for unpaid overtime with assistance from the Workers' Rights Center, and another won a year's back wages because her employer violated the Family Medical Leave Act.
A project of the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice, the Workers' Rights Center holds regular walk-in hours at its Villager Mall office at 2300 S. Park St., where it provides advocacy and educational resources for low-wage workers experiencing problems in the workplace.
"The number one problem we see, one-third of our caseload, is dealing with non-payment of wages," says ICWJ Director Sarah Shatz. The ICWJ is also working with the Dane County District Attorney to get prosecution of employers in the most egregious cases and better access for workers to small claims court.
Shatz spoke recently at a special meeting of the South Central Federation of Labor at the new Overture Center, September 20. The occasion was labor's United Way campaign kick-off which featured United Way-funded projects including the Workers' Rights Center.
Shatz told how Juana Garcia (not her real name) came for help after being wrongfully fired for taking time off to deal with an extended illness. "After determining that this was a violation of the Family Medical Leave Act, we connected her with a union that organizes workers in her industry, who in turn helped her get legal representation."