Workers’ Rights Board

In addition to building alliances between labor and community groups, Jobs with Justice built a new structure - Workers’ Rights Boards - to combat the lack of an adequate legal framework to support worker and economic justice issues . With Boards in 20 cities we now have a proven track record that these locally based institutions made up of community leaders, religious leaders, academics, elected officials, and other prominent members of the community, can be effective vehicles to address workers’ and community concerns.

Although the Boards have no legal authority, we have learned that the local structure of the Boards can produce real results. Where the withered legal framework is slow to move the Boards can spur important action. The St. Louis Workers Rights Board has taken steps to protect workers threatened with firing for organizing, caregivers dismissed for reporting patient abuse, and immigrant workers denied pay for hours work simply because the employer thought they could get away with it.

Community leaders who agree to serve on a WRB review worker complaints and often conduct public hearings - giving employers the chance to participate - and then seek follow-up meetings with management to report their findings and, if possible, resolve the dispute. In addition to these types of cases, JWJ WRB’s have intervened most frequently in organizing situations where workers’ rights violations are blatant and serious. WRB proceedings are part of a one-two counterpunch that includes direct action by labor, community and faith-based activists.

Co-Chairs:

  • Joan Suarez, UNITE HERE, Missouri Immigrant & Refugee Advocates

  • The Rev. Dr. Martin Juan Rafanan, Gateway Homeless Services 

Board Members: 

  • Laura Barrett, Gamaliel Foundation 

  • Joan Beuckman, KMOX, KTRS Retired 

  • Rep. John Bowman, Missouri House of Representatives 

  • Senator Joan Bray, Missouri Senate 

  • Professor Howard Brick, Washington University 

  • The Rev. Charles Brown, Mt Airy MB Church, Clergy Coalition 

  • William Clay, US Congress, Former 

  • Senator Maida Coleman,, Missouri Senate 

  • Mo Costello, MoKaBe’s Coffehouse 

  • Fr. Richard Creason, Catholic Action Network 

  • Senator Rita Days, Missouri Senate 

  • Hedy Epstein 

  • Myrna Fichtenbaum, Older Women’s League 

  • Rabbi Randy Fleisher, Central Reform Congregation 

  • The Rev. Robert Franklin, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition 

  • Rabbi Andrea Goldstein, Shaare Emeth 

  • Percy Green, Civil Rights Leader 

  • Professor Gladys Gruenberg, Saint Louis University 

  • Seifu Gudeta, African Mutual Assistance Association of Missouri

  • Reena Hajat, Interfaith Partnershp 

  • Imam Muhammad Hasic, Islamic Community

  • Bernie Hayes, Independent Television Service 

  • Professor Dan Hellinger, Webster University 

  • Dr. Deborah Henry, St Louis Communty College

  • Jerry Hochsztein, Jews United for Justice 

  • Rich Howard-Willms, Plowsharing Crafts 

  • The Rev. Dr. Sammie Jones, Mt. Zion MB Church, Clergy Coalition 

  • Jerry King, RJK, Inc. 

  • Denise Lieberman, Stetin Center for Law and Social Change 

  • Prof. Allan MacNeill, Webster University 

  • Ora Lee Malone, Civil Rights Activist 

  • Prof Mike Mancini, Saint Louis University 

  • The Rev. Ben Martin, Presbetery of Giddings-Lovejoy 

  • Larry Mass, Attorney 

  • Javier Mendoza, Musician 

  • The Rev. Teresa Mithen, St. John’s Episcopal Church

  • The Rev. James Morris, Lane Tabernalce CME, MO House of Representatives

  • Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, MO House of Representatives

  • Friar Ed Mundwiller, Franciscan Friar, Province of the Sacred Heart 

  • Virginia Nesmith, National Farm Worker Ministry 

  • Angie O’Gorman, Interfaith Legal Services for Immigrants 

  • The Rev. Nelson Pierce, Unity Fellowship Church 

  • The Rev. Tommie Pierson, Churches United for Community Action

  • Joe Pollack, St. Louis Newspaper Guild 

  • William Quick, Attorney

  • Bill Ramsey, Human Rights Action Service  

  • Prof. Gerda Ray, UM-St Louis

  • Robert Reinhold, Attorney 

  • The Rev. B.T. Rice, New Horizon 7th Day Christian Church

  • The Rev. Larry Rice, New Life Evangelistic Life 

  • Jamala Rogers, Organization for Black Struggle 

  • Professor Rebecca Rogers, University of Missouri - St Louis

  • Fr. Jack Schuler, Our Lady of Guadelupe 

  • Prof John Slosar, Saint Louis University 

  • Dr. Abbe Sudvarg, M.D. 

  • Rabbi Susan Talve, Central Reform Congregation 

  • Jerry Tucker, Healthcare Justice Education Fund 

  • Roz Sherman-Voellinger, Workers Inst. For Safety & Health 

  • The Rev. Michael Vosler United Church of Christ 

  • Khatib Waheed, Center for the Study of Social Policy 

  • The Rev. Emery Washington, Episcopal Church

  • Nikki Weinstein, FOCUS St. Louis

  • The Rev. Anthony Witherspoon, Washington Metropolitan AME

     

     *Note: Organizations are listed for identification purposes only

     

     

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