D.C. Workers Demand an End to Wage Theft

DC's Hidden Crime: Washington, DC Workers Demand an End to Wage Theft

MAS Freedom Participates in Local Hearings on Major Economic Justice Issue

WASHINGTON, DC (MASNET) Feb. 19, 2010 - For many of us, the idea of theft in the workplace might mean that someone steals a pocketbook or a wallet from an unsuspecting co-worker. But the really pervasive crime at work is the ongoing theft of wages from millions of workers' paychecks by unscrupulous bosses.

On Thursday, February 18th, representatives from major faith and community service organizations in the greater Washington, DC area gathered to hear testimonies from working people who continue to suffer the indignity and misfortune of not being paid in full for the work that they perform. The event, coordinated by the Washington, DC Jobs With Justice Organization, featured presentations from both workers and advocates from leading advocacy organizations. The presentations provided information about both the national issue of wage theft and the particular impact of this practice in the local Washington, D.C. community.

Jen Kern, the Minimum Wage Campaign Coordinator of the national Employment Law Project, presented the summary conclusions of a major national survey of 4,000 mostly lower-paid workers in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Some 25% of these workers reported some form of wage violations in the week previous to the 2009 study: some were forced to work "off the clock", others, mainly service workers, did not receive their full "tip" compensation, and others were employed at one hourly rate but were actually paid less. The cumulative effect of these unpaid wages amounted to an average annual loss of some $2,600 for workers who earn, on average, some $17,000 a year.

Many of these aggrieved workers were intimidated by their bosses and threatened with being fired or turned in to immigration officials if they were Spanish-speaking of identified as being possibly undocumented.

Meghana Reddy, who coordinates a project for restaurant workers in the District of Columbia, informed the Workers' Rights Board that wage theft is pervasive in the national restaurant industry, which is the largest private employer in the nation. Indeed, many "tipped" workers in D.C. are forced to work for $2.77 an hour-substantially lower than the prevailing minimum wage.

Some 90% of these workers also have no health coverage, vacation benefits, or pension plans.

Testimony from local workers indicated that wage theft is a major problem in the District of Columbia as well. Two workers formerly employed by a now-defunct Washington security company testified that they have not been paid since November, 2009. Some of these workers have lost their homes because their employer collected money from a D.C. government contract but withheld payments to the security guards employed by the firm.

Other workers from Central America have been contracted to do construction work at a wage rate significantly less than prevailing pay for equivalent work done by union members.

As a a newly designated member of the Washington, D.C. Workers' Rights Board, I commented that wage theft is a major civil and human rights issue that impacts the security of working people and their families. He noted that "Muslims, Christians, and Jews all have scriptural commandments that honor the integrity of work and call for fairness and justice to working people. We must be obligated to defend the right of workers to receive what they earn, while we pressure both private employers and the U.S. Department of Labor to abide by labor laws and wage agreements. The theft of wages from working people, in any form that it takes, is an abomination in the eyes of God and a profound injustice."

Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey

A Tribute to the Extraordinary Life of Howard Zinn

On January 28th, Howard Zinn died suddenly at the age of 87 in Santa Monica, California. Although he will probably be best known for his seminal book A People's History of the United States, Zinn was much more than a historian.

His early teaching career took him to Spellman College in Atlanta, a leading African-American institution, where he taught history and was fired for supporting a student rebellion at the school in the early days of the modern racial desegregation movement. He later went on to teach at Boston University

Howard Zinn was a respected a leader in both the movement for civil rights in the United States, and was one of the few white Americans to rise to a leadership position in the predominantly black Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which organized voting rights and anti-oppression campaigns throughout the South.

In his opposition to the U.S. war in Indochina, Zinn, along with the late Daniel Berrigan, made a highly visible-and controversial-visit to North Vietnam to bring home three U.S. prisoners of war. His book, Vietnam: The Logic of Withdrawal, was a major analysis of the U.S. intervention in Vietnam and a call for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the war-a war which finally ended with the defeat of the U.S.-backed regime in South Vietnam in 1975.

For those of us who are old enough to remember the early desegregation and anti-war movements of the 1960's, the intellectual works and radical historical analysis of Howard Zinn were central in the formation of an alternative view of American history and politics. Central to Zinn's writing and teaching is the understanding that popular, and radical, social movements were ( and are) fundamental to the advancements of society in general.

And as Muslims engaged in our own struggle for equality and fairness in this nation, we owe a tremendous debt to the late Howard Zinn for reminding us that, in his own famous words, we cannot be neutral on the moving train of history.

An excellent retrospective on the life and works of the late Howard Zinn can be found on the home page of Amy Goodman's syndicated radio program Democracy Now, which aired on the morning of January 28th. You can hear the program by visiting the link at : www.democracynow.org

Ibrahim Ramey

President Obama's First State of the Union Address: What He Said, and What He Did Not

In one sense, you can't help but be impressed by President Barrack H. Obama's first State of the Union Speech on Wednesday, January 27th.

The 65 minute speech to a politically divided and anxiety-wracked nation was a difficult one for him to give, in light of the recent surge of public opinion critical to some of his political agenda, and especially in light of the resurgent, and aggressive, attacks on his administration from the Right.

But according to the estimates of many pundits and politicians alike, Obama stood his ground, and he stood tall: he explained the political and economic turbulence that he inherited when he assumes office a year ago, he articulated a feeling of steadfast optimism for the nation in a time of continued difficulty, and he reiterated his own commitment-and that of most of his political party-to national health care reform, social investments for the betterment of the nation, and an overall determination to "stay the course" on creating a renewed, and more globally competitive, economic reality for the nation in the second decade of a new century.

Some of us-many of whom are on the conservative end of the national political spectrum-are worried about the price tag attached to this bold new vision. Others of us are uncertain about the potential cost of the political compromise that the President, and the Democratic party, may feel compelled to make in the Washington world of realpolitik, and in light of the recent loss of the 60 vote Democratic "super-majority" in the U.S. Senate.

Are health care reform, social investments, and serious job creation necessary for the common good of the people of this nation? Absolutely. Did the President make a convincing argument for the critical importance of these projects in the construction of a new, and better, national future? Yes, he did.

But I am still concerned about a number of things that this memorable speech did not address. Let me mention four of them:

First, President Obama did not take on the question of the structural poverty in the country, and the debilitating rise of hunger, homelessness, and social misery for the 37 ( or so) million people trapped at the bottom of the American economic well. It was nice to hear the platitudes about programs and initiatives for working Americans, but there was not mention of the poor-let alone any concrete initiatives designed specifically to engage in a real "war on poverty" that creates transitional programs for urban renewal, rural development jobs, and social services for the legion of poor people far worse off than the struggling American middle class.

Second, there was no recognition of the role that a militarized national economy plays in the structural deficits and collateral problems of the USA. Is "national defense" a sacred (corporate) cow immune from closer scrutiny? Do nuclear subs ( and the continued parasitic existence of the nuclear weapons labs) really safeguard American from airplane bombers and hijackers? Some of us, particularly ( like this writer) saw, in the election of President Obama, the beginning of a possible transition to a demilitarized national economy and a different vision for promoting nonviolence in a violent world; sadly, the President seems to simply be going on with the flow of business ( and thinking) as usual.

My third observation has to do with civil rights and civil liberties. Why didn't the President address the continues existence of those nefarious Fusion Centers that collect data on Muslims that are absolutely no threat to the safety of the nation? Why no attention to the extraordinary, and persistent delays, in acting on both asylum and citizenship applications from Muslims, especially Muslim men? Why no relief for the ferocious attack of Muslim charities, like the Holy Land Trust, Kind Hearts and others, that save real lives in areas of conflict?

We still live in a society that exhibits disturbing examples of racial and religious prejudice. I'm disappointed that these issues received no attention in the speech at all.

Finally, our President could have enhanced the stature of the United States in the world by taking a principled stand on the issue of the blockade of Gaza and the denial of the human rights of the Palestinian people by the governments of both Israel and Egypt. These nations are the two largest recipients of U.S. aid, and the potential leverage that America could have on resolving the Israel-Palestine issue is enormous. Yet the U.S. commitment to universal human rights seems, consistently, to stop at the door of the pro-Israel lobby in Washington.

Isn't colonialism and ethnic cleansing wrong for everyone perpetrates these crimes, Mr. President? Breaking free from the clutches of the pro-Israel lobby-while still affirming the fundamental rights of Israelis as well as Palestinians-is essential to establishing real peace and justice in the Middle East.

Osama Bin-Laden, among others, is aware of this moral contradiction in American policy , and he plays it for his own sinister, and violent, purposed.( Note: the contradiction has gotten louder with U.S. aid to the Egyptian government for building the barrier on their border with Gaza). The President could have dealt a serious blow to the prestige of the Jihadists if he simply stood up, with moral conviction and courage, for the end to the blockade of Gaza, and the collective punishment of the people there-as Representative Keith Ellison and some 55 members of the House of Representatives have asked him to do. But he did not.

In some ways, even the highest elected official of the nation is constrained by the plethora of political and economic interests that surround him. But if President Obama is committed to moral politics for the benefit of the whole nation, that morality needs to go all the way-and challenging the essential, and structural, evils of violence, poverty, and racism that persist in the fabric of our national life.

Those are indeed the "evil triplets" that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought to eradicate. And even at the cost of political popularity, that is a fight that our President needs to fully, publicly, and unapologetically take on. And I believe that he should have done so, especially in his most important speech of the new year.

Santa's Shocking Announcement to the World: "I am Now a Muslim"


Stating that "In my heart, I have always believed in the oneness of God Almighty", Saint Nicholas, the jolly, venerable Christmas figure known for centuries as Santa Claus, announced that he had taken his Shahada, or declaration of faith, and formally 'reverted' to the religion of Islam.

It is believed that this religious transition is unprecedented in the thousands of years of Christmas celebrations that take place every December 25th.Nicholas, who is thought to be some 1100 years of age, apparently made the transition to Islamic belief during one of his recent visits to the Arab world. He is thought to have made the declaration in Egypt last December 25th, at a private ceremony in Cairo.

It is not immediately known if his wife, any of his elves, or other North Pole denizens joined him in leaving his (presumed) religion of Christianity and declaring faith in Islam, although sources at the North Pole have indicated that the Santa workshop is in "utter confusion and chaos" following the announcement from Claus.

Commenting on his embrace of the world's fastest-growing religion, Claus-who will now be formally known as Mustafa Jabbar Ali Al-Islam-noted to reporters that he was "sick" of bringing Pagan traditions into the veneration of the traditional birthday of Jesus, and that "the December 25th date was really an invention that came from the celebration of the (Pagan) Winter Solstice, and had nothing to do with the birth of Christ, Peace Be Upon Him."

"And what's more", Claus reminded the stunned reporters, " the so-called Christmas holiday is really a money making scheme for business, and not a genuine celebration of the birth of Jesus. I'm just sick of the deception, and although he is certainly a prophet but not a deity, Islam-true Islam-is the real way to honor him".

The stock prices of major retailers and toy manufacturers plummeted by 50 per cent on major exchanges throughout the world as the news of Claus' conversion to Islam spread throughout the post-Christmas investment community.

When asked about his future plans, Claus/Al-Islam told reporters that he did plan to resume his December flights around the globe, but instead of toys, he would be carrying "translations of the Qur'an and the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad, Peace be unto him, to children around the world."

Spokespersons for major Christian denominations, including the Vatican, expressed "shock and outrage" on hearing the news. Also, Air Force Brigadier General John Watson, a spokesperson for NORAD, the North American Air Defense Command responsible for monitoring the flight of Santa's sleigh every December 25th, noted that "we will do everything we can to prevent future flights of the sleigh and the Reindeer, and we reserve the right to take military action if Claus decides to test us and fly next year."

"After all", General Watson concluded, "If he's a Muslim now, we simply can't trust him, or know what he's really carrying in that big bag of his."

Ibrahim Ramey

A Muslim Greeting on Christmas Day

December 25th is just a few days away. And for Muslims, this day of Christmas celebration is
a time for deep reflection.

For some of us, of course, this Christian holiday is one that underscores our religious alienation from the majority Christian culture in America. We have no trees, no Santas and little elves, no reindeer, and certainly no ham or spiked egg nog on our dinner tables. Our children receive no special gifts on this day, as do their Christian ( and secular) schoolmates and friends.

And, more important, we do not revere Jesus as a deity or celebrate this time as his authentic birthday. Muslims are incorrigibly monotheistic, and we dismiss the trinitarian understanding as our primary, and irreconcilable, difference with Christianity.

But for Muslims like me who were born into Christian families, the day is far from painful or strange.

We remember the gatherings of mothers, fathers and grandparents and friends in a spirit of holiday sharing. The Christmas gifts that we exchanged were reminders of the legendary gifts presented to the baby Jesus by the wise men from the East. And even though the Nordic mythology of Santa and yule logs is conflated into Christian religious symbolism, there was, and is, an undeniable feeling of joy in the holiday celebration.

For me, as a Muslim born into a Christian family, Christmas is a time for contemplating the gift that God Almighty gave to humankind in the form of the birth of Isa (Jesus). And even if, in our tradition, this event did not happen at this time of year, it is worthy of our respect as a time when much of the world celebrates the arrival of this blessed child.

Perhaps Christmas, if not a time of religious celebration for Muslims, can be a time for building bridges of solidarity, and even mutual forgiveness, with our Christian neighbors, friends, and family members. It can also be an occasion to share our different, and parallel, scriptural understandings of Jesus; Many of my Christian friends, for example, are startled to discover that the 19th Book of the Holy Qur'an is the Book of Mary (Suratul Maryum), which, from the Quran'ic perspective, narrates the wonderful story of Mary's visitation by the Holy Spirit and the virgin birth of this most wondrous child, whom Muslims revere as the Messiah, and a mighty Apostle of God.

There are, to be sure, theological and cultural divides between the global Islamic community and the Christian world. As Muslims, we do not worship Jesus, and we certainly remove ourselves from the deity of commercialism that feeds on the this particular holiday celebration.

But despite our theological differences with the Christian world, , Muslims can, and do, honor a pervasive social spirit of charity, caring, and good will that can do enormous good in our world as it helps bind wounds of religious conflict and create new possibilities for genuine interfaith cooperation and respect.

Perhaps this day, more than any day on the calendar, might also evolve as an opportunity for Muslims to consider the evocation from the Qur'an that there is no compulsion in religion-and certainly, no tolerance in our text for religious discrimination or oppression by any community, including our own.

My late Christian mother, who loved her Christmas trees and decorations, gave love and charity to all of her neighbors, without any regard for their faith or religiosity. December 25th was a special day for her, and for her family.

And for all Christian families, and for Muslims as well, I pray that it will be a day that symbolizes the renewal of love, tolerance, and caring for humankind in the name of God, and in the spirit of Jesus the Messiah.

Salaaam Aleikum to all. And Merry Christmas.