The economic crisis is caused by poverty wages. How can workers pay for basics, like housing, food and health care, when we're paid poverty wages? If we can't afford to pay for the essentials, the entire economy gets pushed down with us. Make no mistake about it, the solution to this economic crisis is work with dignity. The solution to this crisis is paying workers a living wage, providing education for all and ensuring that there is health care for all.
This is from the March 6 press conference on the Human Rights Zone campaign to secure the rights to health care, education and work with dignity, including a living wage, to workers in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. More from the speech and the role of poverty wages as one cause of the economic crisis.
On March 6, 2009 United Workers spokesperson Veronica Dorsey gave a speech on the three worst employers at Baltimore's Inner Harbor and on why low-wage workers have declared the Inner Harbor a "Human Rights Zone" and why they're demanding the economic human rights to health care, education and work with dignity. The entire text of her speech follows, as well as a video of the speech portion of the press conference.
The point of the speech and the Human Rights Zone campaign was perhaps summed up best when a reporter asked if now, given the recession, was not the right time to demand dignity and respect for workers. Veronica's answer: "We believe that all life is sacred." When life is valued it's always the right time to demand dignity and respect.
View the response to reporter's question:
The complete speech follows, but first a highlight from near the end of the speech:
Today we put M&S Grill, Cheesecake Factory and Phillips on notice. Our notice is this: Respect our demands, because we will prevail. Human rights will be extended and expanded to the Inner Harbor workers. We will prevail, no matter how long or difficult the struggle. These three employers are on notice and will soon hear our voices and the voice of Baltimore demanding better for all low-wage workers in the city.
About Veronica Dorsey and the New Organizers Project of the United Workers
Veronica is a participant in the New Organizers Project, a three-year community organizing and leadership development paid training program for low-wage workers. Veronica recently passed the first year of the program and is now working on her second year of leadership development. In year one the focus is on the history of community organizing. In year participants start to practice community organizing, including conducting outreach, carrying out media work, mobilizing for economic justice campaigns and developing effective strategy. In year three, participants focus on applied reflection, which includes written analysis and the development of a community project plan.
Video Highlights:
Complete text of speech:
"Keeping the Promise: Economic Human Rights Will Prevail"
On October 25, 2008, Baltimore's low-wage workers marched from Camden Yards to the Inner Harbor and declared the Inner Harbor a "Human Rights Zone". Today, we take the first step in delivering on that promise.
With the city facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, it's now more important than ever for low-wage workers to stand up for our rights and to demand dignity and respect. This crisis threatens the poor more than it does anyone else. The crisis in our economy threatens to push down wages and push up mistreatment.
The economic crisis is caused by poverty wages. How can workers pay for basics, like housing, food and health care, when we're paid poverty wages? If we can't afford to pay for the essentials, the entire economy gets pushed down with us. Make no mistake about it, the solution to this economic crisis is work with dignity. The solution to this crisis is paying workers a living wage, providing education for all and ensuring that there is health care for all.
Since we first declared the Inner Harbor a human rights zone, we've been meeting with workers at the Harbor to uncover the kinds of conditions workers face. We surveyed over 150 workers and found out how bad things are.
We learned that:
- Managers are stealing workers' tips.
- Managers clock out workers early, forcing people to work without pay.
- Managers harass workers, including touching and grabbing women at work.
- Managers don't let workers take breaks.
One worker at the Cheesecake Factory reported of another worker who was sick, throwing up, and who was asked to keep working, told to just drink some ginger ale and to keep working in the restaurant, rather than to go home and get better.
Another worker, at Phillips, told us that she once complained that she was sick with a stomach virus. She kept throwing up every time she ate something and so she called before her shift and the manager said <q> you got to bring your ass in <unquote>. When she got in, she said to us that she was throwing up on the deck outside the restaurant. It was only after throwing up like this at work that she was finally allowed to go home.
Workers are paid poverty wages. Workers want chances to improve their skills. Workers can't afford health care.
Talking with workers, some patterns emerged. The worst employers became evident based on the level of disrespect, the poverty of the wages paid, and the lack of dignity at the worst three employers.
The worst employers are:
- Cheesecake Factory
- Phillips
- M&S Grill
Workers didn't just tell us what was wrong, they also told us what they wanted right. Workers demand work with dignity. Workers demand respect. Workers demand health care and education.
Worker demands are being articulated now, by workers from all three of the worst employers. A committee of workers will set out specific demands. They will also decide together on which employer will be the first target of the Human Rights Zone Campaign. We'll announce the target and the demands on April 18th. Hundreds of low-wage workers and our allies will march up to the steps of the worst employer and make the announcement directly to the worst employer and with the whole community as our witness.
Today we put the worst employers on notice: Phillips, Cheesecake Factory and M&S Grill are on notice for dis-respecting workers and for denying our dignity. Next we ask to meet with workers to lay out the charges and work toward a solution. And on April 18, we start a major worker-led and consumer-supported campaign to get our demands secured - starting with the worst of the worst at the Inner Harbor.
To Cheesecake Factory, to M&S Grill, to Phillips: We say to you this: The days of treating workers like trash are over. The cleaners at Camden Yards won our right to a living at Camden Yards. It took three years - three long and difficult years. We had to announce of a hunger strike and set a solid deadline to win the living wage. And in the end, we prevailed.
Today we put M&S Grill, Cheesecake Factory and Phillips on notice. Our notice is this: Respect our demands, because we will prevail. Human rights will be extended and expanded to the Inner Harbor workers. We will prevail, no matter how long or difficult the struggle. These three employers are on notice and will soon hear our voices and the voice of Baltimore demanding better for all low-wage workers in the city.
As a city, we can do better than this. As a city, we will do better. We made a promise to the city on Oct 25, 2008 by declaring the Inner Harbor a human rights zone. Today we take the first step in along a journey that leads to the underground railroad to freedom from poverty.
United Workers
Low-wage workers leading the way to poverty's end.
http://unitedworkers.org