Kim Bobo Month Sabbatical to Write Wage Theft in Executive Director America

Italways is peopleabout Interfaith Worker Justice 2008 Annual Report 2008 National Board of Directors Co-Presidents: Rev. Nelson Johnson, Pulpit forum of Greensboro and Faith Community Church Bishop Gabino Zavala, Archdiocese of Los Angeles Vice-President: Dr. Edith Rasell, Minister for Labor Relations, United Church of Christ Finance Chair: Rev. Bennie Whiten, United Church of Christ Fundraising Chair: Rev. Daryl Ingram, African Methodist Episco- pal Church Public Policy Chair: Ms. Ros Pelles, Department of Civil, Human and Women’s Rights, AFL-CIO Organizing & Campaigns Chair: Rev. Phil Tom, Small Church and Community Ministry Office, Presbyterian Church USA Communications Chair: Mr. Charles Whitaker, Northwestern University Board Development Chair: Rev. Darren Cushman-Wood, Speed- way United Methodist Church Mr. Hussam Ayloush, Council on American-Islamic Relations – So. California Imam Mahdi Bray, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation Mr. Tom Chabolla, SEIU Mr. Robert DeRose, Barkan + Neff Law Offices Dr. Joe Fahey, Manhattan College Ms. Karen McLean Hessel, Justice for Women, National Council of Churches Mr. John Hill, General Board of Church and Society, United Meth- odist Church Ms. Arlene Holt-Baker, AFL-CIO Rev. Jarvis Johnson, New Prospect Family Praise and Worship Center Special Advisors: Rabbi Jill Jacobs, Jewish FundS for Justice Bishop Jesse DeWitt**, Retired, United Methodist Sheikh Abdool Khan, Islamic Society of North America Church Dr. Ken Brooker Langston, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Rev. Jim Lawson, Holman Untied Methodist Church Ms. Susan Leslie, Unitarian Universalist Association Rev. Joseph Echols Lowery, Southern Christian Ms. Linda Lotz, American Friends Service Committee Leadership Conference Rev. Aaron McEmrys, Unitarian Universalist Association Rabbi Robert Marx**, Congregation Hakafa Rev. Sinclair Oubre, Catholic Labor Network Rev. Addie Wyatt, Vernon Park Church of God Mr. Todd O’Malley, O’Malley & Langan Law Offices ** Former Board President Sr. Mary Priniski, Catholic Committee of the South Rev. Frank Raines III, Dexter Baptist Church (As of June 2008) Ms. Joanne Reich, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church Mr. Chris Sanders, UFCW Rev. Jim Sessions, United Methodist Church Dr. Michael Smith, Salvation Army Mr. Moe Sullivan, Retired Businessman (Deceased) Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, National Council of Churches CONTENTS Letter from the Executive Director 2 From the Board President 3 “The fight is Standing Alongside Workers 4 never about Advocating Just Public Policies 5 Organizing Religious Support for grapes or Worker Rights Campaigns 7 Preparing Future Leaders 8 lettuce. Creating Resources 9 It is always Supporting Those on the Front Line 10 Support the Work of IWJ 11 about people.” 2008 Donors 12 –Cesar Chavez 2008 Income and Expenses 17 with more than 1.3 million people losing their jobs in September and November, the organization put together an unemployment and economic crisis toolkit – a resource that helped congregations ad- dress the needs of the growing number of unemployed. Moving forward, Interfaith Worker Justice is poised to continue standing alongside workers in this current economy. The organization thanks its staff and affiliates for all their work, volunteers for their time and From the Board President effort, and supporters for their continued n my six years of being on Interfaith commitment to the movement for worker IWorker Justice’s Board, I’ve seen how the justice. I hope you continue to support the organization and its affiliates have success- organization and all its good work in 2009 fully mobilized the religious community and the years to come. around worker justice issues. In peace and justice, As the country faced tough, new challenges in 2008 – with a looming recession and Bishop Gabino Zavala rising unemployment – Interfaith Worker President Justice once again found itself on the front lines of the struggle for worker justice. In 2008, Interfaith Worker Justice and its affiliates stood with construction workers, factory workers, sanitation workers and poultry workers who were seeking a voice in the workplace. Together they celebrated victories at the New Era Cap factory in Mobile, AL, Smithfield Plant in Tar Heel, NC, Republic Glass and Windows factory in Chi- cago, IL. This, while laying the ground work for even more important work in 2009. It was definitely a year of both opportunities and challenges for workers and the nation in general. Toward the end of 2008, 2 Interfaith Worker Justice Dear Supporter: We continue to do terrific work around the The famous Dickens quote, “it was the best country, but to expand, grow and navigate of times, it was the worst of times,” certainly in these perilous times we must call on all seems fitting for 2008. For Interfaith Worker friends and supporters to contribute. Now, Justice (IWJ), it was an exciting time, as we more than ever, we must build our base of expanded the organization’s reach and individual supporters. The movement for policy influence on worker justice issues. worker justice needs you! With our country’s current economic woes, Thank you and I look forward to working our work is even more crucial in ensuring alongside you all in 2009! that all working families get decent benefits Praying for wisdom and peace for us all, and living wages. I personally was grateful for the board and staff giving me a three- Kim Bobo month sabbatical to write Wage Theft in Executive Director America. It was also a challenging financial time for IWJ. For the first time ever, we ended the year in a deficit as Now, more than ever, we foundations and unions cut must build our base of back on giving. Money was as individual supporters. tight as the opportunities to expand the work were abundant. Although the organization regularly oper- ates very thriftily, since the Fall, the organization has taken measures to tighten its belt, including renegotiating reducing pen- sion contributions, changing health care coverage, reducing staff (through layoffs, spinoffs and not replacing staff) and decid- ing to hold a leadership summit instead of a full national conference in 2009. We are doing our best to reduce expenses and to not cut into core programming. At the end of the day, it was the commitment and dedication of national staff, board members, local leaders, volunteers and supporters like you that kept us going. 2008 Annual Report STANDING ALONGSIDE WORKERS… or more than a decade, Inter- Ffaith Worker Justice has stood alongside workers in their struggle for better wages, benefits and working conditions. Through its network of 55 interfaith groups and 20 workers centers around the country, IWJ is able to organize the religious community’s support on worker justice issues, and effect change that helps improve the lives of millions of workers and their families. In 2008, as the nation faced an economic crisis that translated to 2.6 million lay-offs and even more ram- pant abuse and underpayment of workers, Interfaith Worker Justice’s mission became more important than ever. At a time when the rights of workers were most vulnerable, IWJ made great strides in help- ing build a united voice from faith leaders and workers in affirming the human dignity of all workers. IWJ affiliated workers’ center leaders Interfaith Worker Justice AdvocATING JUST PUBLIC poLICIES uring tough economic times, the need Dfor policies and laws that safeguard workers’ rights becomes even more im- perative. In 2008, Interfaith Worker Justice expanded its efforts to advocate for just policies that affect workers, especially those in low-wage jobs. The organization played a key role in organizing religious support for some of the most important issues workers face. IWJ’s work included: briefings on the issue of wage theft, and generated two investigations by the non- Employee Free Choice Act – IWJ took the partisan Government Accountability Office lead in gathering religious support for the (GAO) of the Wage & Hour Division of the Employee Free Choice Act – legislation that US Department of Labor (DOL). In July 2008, will strengthen penalties against anti-union Ms. Bobo testified at a House Education and activities and make it easier for workers to Labor Committee hearing on the lack of form a union without interference or intimi- adequate enforcement of wage and hour dation by corporate bosses. The organiza- laws by the DOL. The organization is work- tion published a widely distributed voter ing with key members of Congress to draft guide that highlighted the need to help wage-theft prevention legislation, and has pass this very important bill. IWJ organized become the leading expert and advocacy religious delegation meetings with three organization on this issue. Senators, created a toolkit for organizing Senate delegations and published educa- Immigration – After Congress failed to pass tional materials. comprehensive immigration reform in 2007, IWJ organized religious opposition to nega- Wage Theft Campaign – IWJ’s leadership tive immigration programs and legislation. on this issue put the epidemic of wage theft IWJ has joined other organizations issuing on the national agenda, through work done a call to halt military-style workplace raids by its affiliated workers centers, policy work by the Immigration and Customs Enforce- and the release of Executive Director Kim ment Agency (ICE). These raids discriminate Bobo’s book, “Wage Theft in America – Why against people who appear “foreign,” tear Millions of Working Americans Are Not Get- families and communities apart, and are ting Paid – and What We Can Do About It.” counterproductive at a time of economic The organization’s outreach to members of crisis. IWJ has also opposed using so called Congress helped secure congressional staff 2008 Annual Report “No Match” letters to fire workers. These letters identify discrepan- cies between the names of employees and their social security numbers, but they are based on a faulty Social Security database – more than 60 percent of these letters went to U.S.

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