By Justin Strekal, CCPC Steering Committee Member and Organizer with Guardians for Fair Work
If an employee stole $2,900 from their company in Cuyahoga County, they’d be charged with a felony. When a company steals $2,900 from its workers, they are not.
Wage theft is the most common form of property crime in the United States and currently, Cuyahoga County does not take enforcement actions against greedy bosses who steal from their workers. Further, public contracts or incentives have been awarded to companies even if they are known violators of wage theft. Turning a blind eye and rewarding bad corporate actors fosters a negative moral hazard and leads to a craven culture of crony and exploitative capitalism.
On Tuesday, April 25th, Cuyahoga County Council, led by Councilmember (and CCPC member) Dale Miller, is anticipated to take a first step to address this pervasive practice by employers.
The Guardians for Fair Work campaign is putting out a call to action to fill the County Council chamber with supporters to ensure that members hear and see that being pro-worker is not only good policy – but good politics as well.
RSVP to join the Guardians for Fair Work Campaign on April 25th
Through our actions, we can best position Cuyahoga County to take action against wage theft and push the county on more pro-labor policies.
Here’s the plan for April 25th:
4:30 – Arrive at 2079 East 9th Street, 4th Floor, to join other supporters of the Guardians for Fair Work. There is complimentary parking at the garage on Huron for those who attend County Council meetings.
5:00 – Council meeting begins and together, we will support those giving public comments and stand in solidarity to demonstrate that now is the time to end wage theft in Cuyahoga.
This proposal alone will not solve all of the problems working people face here in Cuyahoga, nor will it alone even solve the problem of wage theft. But the Guardians campaign supports its passage with the understanding that this ordinance is a starting point and not an endpoint.
So please, join Guardians for Fair Work, leaders from the Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus, and many other allies at County Council at 4:30 on Tuesday, April 25th.
Solidarity,
Justin Strekal
