Forum on labor rights poorly attended

Explaining that many American workers are unaware of their job-related rights, three members of the volunteer organization Eastern Service Workers Association discussed how their group helps people learn about their rights in a forum Thursday afternoon. While only two University students attended the 90-minute forum in Houston Hall, the ESWA workers still detailed the different ways in which workers are victimized and the goals of their organization. ESWA worker Mary Cowhey said there are over 70 million workers in America who may be considered "unrecognized workers," workers who hold jobs which do not receive or qualify for government medical care, insurance or protection. She added that over 70 percent of these workers are women. Cowhey said that many of these workers simply do not know about minimum wage, job harassment and discrimination laws. "Many workers do not know their legal rights," she said. "For the unrecognized worker, the minimum wage has become the maximum wage." The ESWA staffer told stories of many people who can barely afford food and a roof to live under because their employers exploit their ignorance and pay them low wages. Cowhey and ESWA worker Jay Nickerson then discussed how their organization helps educate workers about these issues as well as provide food for those in need. They said that ESWA receives no government funding and relies entirely on contributions and donations. The group provides free legal assistance and has won several court cases in their efforts to get the "unrecognized worker" recognized by the government. Cowhey then explained how their group differs from other volunteer organizations which exploit the poor and homeless peoples' misery for their own gain by using government funding for personal profit. "There are so many poverty pimps," Cowhey said. "Our slogan is here to win, here to stay." Cowhey and Nickerson said ESWA prides itself on being accessible to victims of poverty everyday, all year. "We are an organization that let's people know we will work the same streets as them," Nickerson said. "Our efforts are not just band-aids, they are efforts trying to solve the problems of poverty finally, not temporarily." The two ESWA members finished the talk by telling of the organizations diverse help units. They said ESWA helps the worker in financial choices, legal issues, educational matters and emergency matters such as food or blankets for the night.

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