“Eight hours of work, eight hours of rest and eight hours for what we will.” A common slogan that echoed in industrial centers across the United States in the late 19th century, in demand for the eight hour day, still rings true in New York City today.
Home care workers, who are mostly women (88%) people of color, (81%) and immigrants (65%), are being systematically exploited by home care agencies. They are routinely forced to work 24-hour shifts, and are only paid for 13 hours. This clear example of wage theft is a crime that should easily be rectified by New York State. However, Gov.Kathy Hochul and the Department of Labor have failed to uphold even the most basic protections for workers.
On October 8th, hundreds of New York City workers in the home care industry and others rallied at the New York Department of Labor in Brooklyn. They voiced their anger at Hochul for her ongoing refusal to enforce labor law and for dismissing hundreds of home attendants’ wage theft cases.
Phoebe De Padua, part of the Ain’t I a Woman Campaign, a coalition fighting against this cruel 24-hour work day; set the tone for the day. “Governor Kathy Hochul, stop protecting abusive bosses, and stop the wage theft now. Are you listening to us, Gov. Hochul? We the people demand that you enforce labor law and end the 24-hour work day. Stop all this criminal behavior! 24-hour shifts are a crime against humanity!”
Workers in the industry followed with searing testimonies about the sweatshop-like conditions they endure. Guizhu Chen, said, “I’ve worked 24-hour workdays for the worst home care agency, Chinese-American Planning Council. When I recorded the times I get to work at night, CPC threatened me with jail time. In 2019, I filed a complaint against CPC at the DOL for wage theft and retaliation. Not only did Gov. Hochul not enforce the law and close our cases but she also rewarded CPC with billions of dollars .”
Cailan Feng, home care worker, said “I work at ABI, which the NYC comptroller’s office listed as number One on the sweatshop boss shame list. Today, we workers from all walks of life are united in demanding Governor Hochul immediately enforce labor laws and pay back workers.”
Mireya Silva, a home care worker and organizer, pointed out Hochul’s hypocrisy, “I worked 24-hour shifts for 17 years, including 12 with United Jewish Council. Today, Hochul will be across town celebrating “Hispanic culture” for Hispanic Heritage Month. She’s trying to silence us with insults she’s heaping on us every day. We’re tired of her insults. Pay us now!
As a sign of the growing movement against this labor exploitation, home care workers were joined by elected officials. Assemblymember Ron Kim, Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Councilmember Christopher Marte, as well as other political leaders sent statements of support.
Antonio Delgado, New York State Lieutenant Governor and gubernatorial candidate, echoed the anger expressed by the home care workers. “Wage theft is not a paperwork issue. It is an act of exploitation. It steals from families, destabilizes communities and tells workers their labor, and their lives, don’t matter. You shouldn’t have to beg the government to do its job.”
Assemblymember Ron Kim concurred, “The 24-hour workday shift is inhumane and countless workers who suffered through it deserve justice and the wages they are owed. As one of the elected officials who has stood with them from the very beginning on this issue, we are asking the Department of Labor and the Governor to do the right thing and enforce our state’s labor laws.”
New York State Senator Jessica Ramos addressed the crowd saying, “It’s high time these workers are paid the hours they’ve worked. No one should be forced to work 24 hours a day. Wage theft is a crime. Our state government has an obligation to uphold the law, make sure these workers are compensated, and make sure this never happens again.”
New York City Councilmember Chris Marte provided context, “Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have taken to the street to say ‘No Kings’ to protest Trump’s blatant disregard for the law. But here today, hundreds of home care workers and supporters have come out to say, ‘No Queens’ – Kathy Hochul, stop getting in the way of the government doing its job. Tell the DOL to enforce the law now!”
Home care workers were also joined by Youth Against Sweatshops, a group of “students, professionals and organizers united against long work hours, wage theft, and sweatshop conditions.
Muzzammil Mehdi said, “Young workers and students such as myself and many of us here are increasingly being pushed into the very same sweatshop system that we are protesting today. Our current leadership is forcing all workers to compete against one another in a race to the bottom, thinking that we won’t fight back. But these home care workers are fighting back! It is up to us, for our own futures, to unite with them and finally bring an end to the long workdays and increasing wage theft under Hochul’s Department of Labor.”
Towards the end, workers announced that they would not stop until the labor law is enforced and called on everyone to urge their elected officials to demand Gov. Hochul take immediate action to pay back stolen wages and end the 24-hour work day by adding their voices to the movement.
The No More 24 campaign continues to grow, uniting workers across the state in the demand for humane labor standards. The struggle of New York’s home care workers is a microcosm of a broader national fight for health, dignity, and the right to our own time. Even more emblematic of the larger American class struggle, this is a movement led by women, immigrants, people of color, and young people.
Picture courtesy of The Xylom
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