Chicago
Workers’ Collaborative
Workers
uniting together to end fear, stop exploitation, and improve
workplaces in Illinois
Senator
Miguel del Valle and Representative Cynthia Soto introduce
sweeping reforms of law regulating day labor agencies in
the Illinois State Assembly.
Continuing
a process which the Chicago Workers’ Collaborative
began one year ago, Senator del Valle and Representative
Soto have introduced precedent-setting amendments to the
Illinois’ Day Labor Services Act. With backing from
Governor Rod Blagojevich and a host of religious, community,
labor and business groups, we, day labor temp workers, have
a real hope to see laws which protect our rights enforced
and new protections implemented. Summary of the Bill.
Miriam
finally receives her check |
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Day Laborer Collaboration expands to northwestern
suburbs
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Esther
Lopez, Governor Blagojevich's Chief of Staff for Labor,
stands with Felipa Mena and Miriam Perez |
Day labor workers in have suffered abuses for years at the
hands of unscrupulous temporary agencies in northwestern suburbs
such as Mt. Prospect, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows,
Des Plaines and Schaumburg. Recent investigations of these
complaints by workers from the Day Laborer Collaboration reveal
appalling abuses ranging from non-payment of overtime to sexual
harassment to child labor and sexual exploitation of minors.
In the next weeks, the Chicago Workers Clinic will coordinate
the filing a class action lawsuit against one of the major
northwest side agencies and well as several of their client
companies. “This will send a message,” says one
resident of Rolling Meadows, “that day laborers in the
suburbs can defend themselves and will no longer give up their
rights for fear of losing their jobs.” Of the 421 day
labor branch offices registered with the Illinois Department
of Labor, only 73 are located in Chicago, while 348 operate
in the suburban metro area. |
