Issues
We are committed to the fight for economic justice and workers' rights. In order to put our resources to use in a way that creates maximum impact, we focus on these core issues:
Ending Wage Theft
More than 16,000 workers come into IWJ workers centers for help each year, and 80% are victims of wage theft (the illegal underpayment or non-payment of workers' wages). Wage theft happens in every industry, victimizing millions of workers. Our goal is to put an end to wage theft.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform
The time to reform our broken immigration system is now. More than 11 million undocumented people are living in this country. Without legal status immigrant workers are victims of every kind of labor abuse and cannot protect their rights without fear of deportation. Our goal is to reform America's immigration system with a clear path to citizenship and strong worker protections.
Unemployment
All faith traditions affirm the dignity of work. Through our labor we become co-creators with each other and with all that is holy. The jobs crisis is both a spiritual and a justice issue. Our goal is to put America back to work.
Affirming the Right to Organize
In other industrialized countries, CEO’s are paid 10 to 25 times more than workers. In the U.S., CEO pay is 400 times the average worker’s wages. That gap is growing. And it is worse in those places where the organized voice of workers has been silenced. Our goal is to protect the right of workers to stick together.
Core Workplace Standards
IWJ is working with allies on key campaigns for raising core workplace standards for American workers. Raising the minimum wage, creating a living wage and making paid sick days a standard are key efforts.
Health and Safety
Millions of individuals in the workforce are faced with jobs where they are not guaranteed a safe and healthy work environment. IWJ is working with affiliates to train on health and safety work in the work place, doing outreach and organizing workers and worker-leaders.
Get Involved Today!
– Benjamin Disraeli