Phone:  (786) 264-1708; Fax  (786) 264-1859
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SFIWJ in the News
February 20, 2010 - Miami Herald
Faith Leaders Pray for Immigration
Reform
SFIWJ in the News

August 17, 2009 -
USA Today
"More lawmakers
tackle rise of
wage-theft
complaints"

August 17, 2009 -
USA Today
"Bad economy
sparks more
complaints of wage
theft"
Faith Leaders Speak Out
Joint Statement from Episcopal Diocese of
Southeast Florida & SFIWJ

February 25, 2010

We applaud Nova Southeastern University for giving
the people of South Florida the gift of this week’s
visits by two extraordinary men of faith--
Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. The
lives and words of these two Nobel laureates
challenge us all to dedicate ourselves, as they have,
to the creation of a more just and peaceful world.

We hope that Nova’s welcome to these two giants
of the worldwide struggle for human rights will
inspire the university itself to a greater concern for
the rights of its own employees. In the Fall of 2006,
housekeeping, landscaping, and maintenance
workers on Nova's campus organized and won a
union under their contractor, Unicco. In early 2007,
Unicco's contract was terminated, effectively firing
108 employees.

When the workers applied for jobs with the new
contractor, TCB Systems, approximately one-third
were not rehired with many being told that they
should "talk to the union for a job." The workers
filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against Nova
and the contractor and in late 2009, the National
Labor Relations Board ruled against Nova and found
that TCB unlawfully failed to recognize and bargain
with SEIU.  

We do recognize that institutions, like people,
evolve and are hopeful that when Archbishop Tutu
discusses "Human Rights or Humans Wronged," his
contribution to Nova's 2009-2010 academic theme of
"Good and Evil," it will be an opportunity for Nova
to right this past wrong and be the exemplary
institution that we know they can be.

Jeanette Smith, SFIWJ

Archdeacon Fritz Bazin, Episcopal Diocese of
Southeast Florida
Portrait of Women's
Economic Security in
Greater Miami
Report by the
Women's Fund of
Miami-Dade about
women in low-wage
jobs
Bishop Leo Frade of the Episcopal
Diocese of Southeast Florida
announced that he stands behind
the efforts of the Fast for Our
Families.  Said Bishop Frade, "The
Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida
supports the Fast for Our Families in
its effort to stop the separation of
families, a principle to which the
Episcopal Church is committed."

If you or your organization would like
to join Bp. Frade in supporting the
mission of the Fast for Our Families,
please follow this link to send
Department of Homeland Security
Secretary Napolitano a fax or email
asking her to hear the requests of the
fasters.
Our prayers are for
all those affected by
the tragedy in Haiti.  
We stand in solidarity
with our sisters and
brothers in Haiti as
they respond to this
disaster, and with all
those in South Florida
and around the world
who are waiting for
news of their loved
ones.   
Press Conference on the Situation in Haiti
January 14, 2010 – 11 AM

“On behalf of South Florida Interfaith Worker
Justice, we demand that President Obama take
action now to give immediate Temporary
Protected Status to Haitians.  Haitians in the U.S.
need to be able to live without fear.  They need
to be able to earn a paycheck so they can support
their loved ones both here and in Haiti.  We
demand that all Haitians that are imprisoned and
that are awaiting deportation be released
immediately.”  -Jack Lieberman, SFIWJ Board
Member
CIW announces "Farmworker Freedom
March," Tampa to Lakeland, Florida,
April 16-18, 2010 to call for "Freedom
from forced labor; Freedom from abuse;
Freedom from poverty and degradation."

Mobile "Modern-day Slavery Museum"
This traveling museum about agricultural
slavery will be in the form of a box-truck
outfitted as a replica of the trucks
involved in the latest farmworker slavery
prosecution and will contain multiple
educational displays about modern-day
slavery in Florida agriculture, its history,
its roots, its causes, and its solutions. Read
More.

Museum Booklet PDF now online!

February 28,2010 - Ft. Myers Press
"Immokalee coalition debuts modern-day
slavery museum"
Advocates of the Wage Theft Ordinance gather
for a press conference after the Ordinance
passed 10-0 on Feb. 18, 2010
Video: SFIWJ's Jeanette Smith
discussing the need for a Wage Theft
Ordinance in Miami-Dade County
A Momentous Step in the Campaign to End
Wage Theft

On February 18, Miami-Dade County passed the first
county-wide ordinance in the United States to
combat Wage Theft, and South Florida Interfaith
Worker Justice (SFIWJ) was central in making it
happen! This victory is a spark that will help ignite
a wave across the country, says IWJ's Public Policy
Director Ted Smukler. This is momentous, said
Jeanette Smith of SFIWJ. The passing of this
legislation will make a difference for every worker
in Miami-Dade County and, hopefully, will encourage
groups all over the country to establish similar
mechanisms for workers in their communities. Read
more about this exciting victory at
StopWageTheft.org.
In the News:

February 26, 2010 - Miami Herald
"In Miami, Haitian workers struggle to
send money home"

February 26, 2010 - Miami Herald
"Florida struggles to carve out new
jobs"

December 12 - NY Times
"Church Works with U.S. to Spare
Detention"