An Open Letter to Governor Paterson from
40-Hour Fast Participants

Dear Governor Paterson,

During the period between 8 p.m. on March 4 and noon on Friday, March 6, we joined in fasting, so that we could re-focus our priorities on the common good. We prayed for you and other public officials as you make the difficult budgetary, policy and regulatory choices that affect all our lives.

This year we also offer a prayer of thanks for your commitment to workers. In most parts of the country, weak and indifferent enforcement of workers’ rights allows a few bad employers to ignore workplace safety laws and steal wages.

Not in New York. In the face of the pervasive problem of wage theft, for example, the Department of Labor recovered a record level of $24.6 million for 17,000 workers in 2008.

Your Department of Labor’s innovative New York Wage Watch program demonstrates “coming together for the common good,” by partnering with community groups with “know your rights” trainings, information for employers and distribution of literature to workers in stores, nail salons and other community settings. Workers benefit from being paid what they earn, ethical businesses benefit when abusive employers are forced to pay full legal wages and full taxes & communities benefit from increased local shopping and more stable housing.

Our hope is that during the 40 hours of our FAST, thousands of New Yorkers will learn more about wage theft and come together on behalf of working people. We are grateful for your leadership and that of your Department of Labor and we are grateful for the many programs that increase the health, safety and livelihood of all residents.

Sincerely,

[Name and Town of those individuals who contact us with an e-mail or who sign this letter at a FAST event. Please click here for a printable version (PDF) of this letter in petition form.]

Last Updated:03/09/2009
© Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State