Tag Archives: news

Fight Wage Theft, UAW News, and Upcoming LI Events!! 

Bosses Steal (a lot)

Here’s the latest from our ongoing social media series Bosses Steal (a lot)! Are you following us on social media? If not, be sure to head over to our Instagram @LIJWJ or Facebook and hit the follow button!

Know the facts about wage theft! There’s a huge crime wave happening right before our eyes, but it’s not one you’re likely to hear or read about in the news. Our communities are being looted by bosses and our state institutions aren’t doing enough to stop it.

Have your wages ever been stolen by your boss? Let us know using this form (here it is in Spanish and Haitian-Creole too!). And please share with friends or anyone you know whose boss has stolen from them! We’re building a movement to stop wage theft and need your input!

United Auto Workers Organizing – On LI and Nationally

UAW has been in national news quite a bit in the last year with a successful unionization of a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TN, and a more recent failed union vote in Vance, AL. More locally we’ve had UAW activity on LI with Local 259 organizing at EmPower Solar and just in the last week a successful strike at South Shore Kia in Copiague.

From National Jobs With Justice – “The world is watching as American workers, especially in the South, assert their power to demand fair treatment…Jobs With Justice calls on the broader labor movement to meet the opportunity by boldly calling for industry-wide interventions that create a friendlier terrain for unionization.

To build a future that considers worker voices, the labor movement must seize this opportunity to advocate for industry-wide standards that address climate adaptation, racial wealth divide, and democratic practices at work.“

We’re super proud of our local UAW workers bringing this fight to LI.  Stay tuned to our emails and social media for the latest news and ways to show solidarity with workers!

Bellport Community Garden Education Event Coming This Weekend!

There’s a special chance to connect with other like minded folks and with the Earth coming up! LIJWJ, the Brookhaven Landfill Action & Remediation Group (BLARG), and 1199 SEUI’s Healthcare Education Program (HEP) are hosting From Garden to Table to Black Gold on May 25 from 12 -2PM! The event will feature teach-ins on how the garden operates and the important place it holds in the Bellport community.


This is a great chance to learn about a living, breathing community project that is bringing people together to fight for justice! To register for this event head to this link!

Invitation to this event comes from Long Island Jobs with Justice’s AMOS Committee and is part of their Justice Ministries in Action initiative that is seeking to build and deepen relationships among people of faith on Long Island, activate a growing network of individuals and faith-based organizations who are motivated to learn about community-rooted projects, and inspire a community of people to take action against economic injustice.

LIJWJ Awards Dinner

Save the date! The Annual LIJWJ Awards Dinner, where we gather in community to recognize inspiring local individuals, organizations, and unions, is officially on the calendar for Tuesday July 30 from 6 – 8:30PM at Captain Bill’s!


Stay tuned for RSVP info and honoree announcements!

In solidarity,

Long Island Jobs with Justice

Send a Solidarity Message to Starbucks Workers as They Bargain! And More!!

Si Se Puede/Yes We Can: Grassroots Efforts to Confront Poverty on Long Island — A Virtual Panel Discussion

Join LIJWJ, The Poor Peoples’ Campaign, and Abraham’s table for another engaging virtual panel discussion! Despite many challenges that remain, there are many reasons to celebrate if you take a close look at recent wins of the workers’ movement.

Tune in and be inspired by progress being made by community and worker organizations right here on Long Island! Click the flier image or this link to register now!

Bosses Steal (a lot)

Every year an estimated 2.1 million New Yorkers have wages stolen by their bosses (🤬). That’s almost a quarter of the 9.4 million people in our state’s workforce, meaning one out of every four of you reading this have likely had wages stolen at some point. If you’re not aware of the many forms wage theft takes, you may not even be aware you’ve been stolen from!

Have a look at this list of the most common ways wage theft shows up. Have any of these things ever happened to you? Let us know in a survey linked here!  

Starbucks Bargaining Community Solidarity Messages

As you read this, Starbucks workers are in Atlanta sitting across the table from their multi-billion dollar employer in a historic bargaining session. These workers have fought and won against the odds for years to get here, and a fair contract covering ALL unionized stores is within reach.

Despite their wins and the momentum built around their union’s growth, bargaining can be just as exhausting and challenging as organizing stores. Like organizing stores, the fight for a contract is often a battle of attrition that favors the side with more resources. What power their corporate employer can project through dollars, workers need to match with community.

We all can’t be present to show our solidarity with Starbucks workers in person. But we can show up for them in other ways. Below is a chance for you to send messages of solidarity to Starbucks workers as they face down the company that has used every tool at its disposal to stop them from getting to this point. LIJWJ will convey these messages to the workers to keep spirits high until the ink is dry on their contract.

Let the workers know that our communities are on their side and rooting for them! Write your solidarity message here!

People’s Campaign for Parole Justice Advocacy Day

From our friends at Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP):

“On May 7, the People’s Campaign for Parole Justice will gather hundreds of people across the state for our biggest advocacy day yet in support of the Elder Parole and Fair & Timely Parole to reunite our families and end the racism of permanent punishment.

As part of our efforts to demonstrate broad-based support from all corners of the state, we are asking organizations, businesses, faith groups/houses of worship and other partner entities to co-sponsor our advocacy day. We’re asking all allied groups to please contribute whatever people and resources you’re able to.

Co-sponsor our parole justice advocacy day on May 7 at the NYS Capital here. You can also find an outreach guide w/ sample email, texting & social media language here.”

Become a LIJWJ Sustainer!

Among the many ways you can support LIJWJ and the workers we fight for is by becoming a monthly sustainer! This is a surefire way to help us continue doing the work we do. We don’t get big checks from ultrawealthy donors or corporations (they’re not too fond of us for some reason 😉). Instead, funding for LIJWJ’s work comes from community funders, partners and individuals like you.  Donating on a monthly basis can be the most sustainable way for both LIJWJ and you.

If you’re able, please go and sign up now to be a sustainer today! It goes a long way supporting the work you read about in these emails!

In solidarity,

Long Island Jobs with Justice

Big Wins for Starbucks Workers and Upcoming Wage Theft Education Resources!

We Have TWO MORE Union Starbucks On Long Island!

Congratulations to the Garden City and Westbury Village Starbucks workers for successfully organizing their stores despite the best efforts of their multi-billion dollar employer!  Also thank you to the community supporters who were there to witness the announcement. We’re all showing that when labor and community join forces, wins are within reach – even inevitable!

From Newsday:

“Leeana Lee, 24, an Elmont resident and Starbucks worker in Garden City said winning Wednesday’s election is an important step in ensuring workers rights to speak out in the workplace.

“Winning the union vote at Starbucks represents a pivotal moment in championing workers’ rights and ensuring fair treatment within the company,” Lee said in a statement. “It signifies a positive shift towards creating a more inclusive and empowered workforce where we actually have a voice.”

“Ultimately, this victory gives me hope that it can go back to being somewhere I enjoy working at again,” she said.”

You can read the whole article here.

Also, if you’re on Instagram, be sure you’re following Starbucks Workers United and 3 (out of 7) local unionized stores @sbwufarmingville, @sbwu_massapequa, and @sbwu_wantagh for the latest news!

Envision an Economy Where Bosses No Longer Steal from Their Workers

Earlier this week LIJWJ and Latino Justice held a joint training for advocates looking to put some time and energy into assisting workers file wage theft claims. It was very informative and explained some rather mystifying processes involved in filing claims in understandable terms. The goal is to form a base of community advocates always standing by to assist workers file to get back wages owed.

If you weren’t able to join us: no worries! This is just the beginning and there will be more trainings like it along with other ways for advocates to join the fight against wage theft.

We’re also rolling out an educational series called “Bosses Steal (a lot).”  It’ll be a source for facts about wage theft, local examples of how it shows up, and things that need to happen to stop it. The series will be featured in our eblasts like this one and also on social media. Follow us on Instagram @LIJWJ if you’re not already and get the latest there!

Stay tuned in the coming weeks and months to arm yourself with knowledge to fight wage theft!

Become a LIJWJ Sustainer!

Among the many ways you can support LIJWJ and the workers we fight for is by becoming a monthly sustainer! This is a surefire way to help us continue doing the work we do. We don’t get big checks from ultrawealthy donors or corporations (they’re not too fond of us for some reason 😉). Instead, funding for LIJWJ’s work comes from community funders, partners and individuals like you.  Donating on a monthly basis can be the most sustainable way for both LIJWJ and you.

If you’re able, please go and sign up now to be a sustainer today! It goes a long way supporting the work you read about in these emails!

In solidarity,

Long Island Jobs with Justice