The Plight of New Orleans Workers

By Rachel Metz

More than half of New Orleans workers have been victims of labor abuse, according to a new report from Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), a nonprofit that mobilizes U.S. religious communities on workers' rights.

Despite these frequent violations of labor law, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) concluded 37 percent fewer wage and hour investigations last year than in the previous year.

"Working On Faith: A Faithful Response to Worker Abuse in New Orleans" analyzes IWJ's 2006 surveys and interviews with 218 workers in a variety of jobs from construction to retail to bank tellers. According to the report, workers have experienced abuses including wage theft (47 percent), exposure to dangerous substances at work (58 percent), being unfairly fired or disciplined (42 percent) and discrimination (29 percent).

(posted June 21, 2007; In These Times)