Urge Seattle council to fund labor law enforcement, education

SEATTLE (Oct. 28, 2016) — With its $15 minimum wage, paid sick leave and other municipal ordinances, the City of Seattle is leading the way on progressive labor standards. But if those labor standards aren’t effectively enforced, they don’t protect working families as intended.

Every time someone in Seattle is not paid the proper minimum wage, or works off the clock to take care of a client, or is denied a break by an employer, or is not paid time-and-a-half for overtime, or is forced to work in unsafe conditions, that worker is a victim of wage theft. And the sad truth is, when workers have the courage to fight back and file a complaint against this type of wage theft, too often they are retaliated against or even illegally fired. A new report shows how wage theft can lead to homelessness or can prevent homeless individuals from getting back on their feet.

Every year, millions of dollars are stolen from workers by employers who break Seattle’s labor laws.

In order to enforce Seattle’s labor laws, organized labor is asking the the Seattle City Council to permanently fund the Office of Labor Standards and increase funding to organizations that teach workers about their rights.

TAKE A STAND — Seattle City Council members need to hear from you! Please click here to send an email to council members asking them to end wage theft by fully funding the Office of Labor Standards and worker outreach. All are encouraged to add their own stories into the email, or make other changes to put it in their own words.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this important action.