Grocery Store Workers Rally in Brooklyn for Overtime Pay, Fight Wage Theft

 Wage theft--the systemic underpayment or denial of payment owed to workers--is a growing problem, and immigrant workers, whose English is often not perfect, are especially at risk. But with the help of community organizations, some workers are finding a way to fight back--and are winning victories. 

This weekend, New York Communities for Change and residents of the Kensington community in Brooklyn, New York, rallied outside of the Golden Farm supermarket on Church Avenue in support of the immigrant store employees, who are organizing for a union contract and have sued for unpaid back wages--they were being paid $400 for a 70-plus hour work week, well below the minimum wage. 

State Senator Eric Adams and City Councilmember Brad Lander also came out to support the workers, as well as the Rude Mechanical Orchestra and local residents who want their local grocery to treat the workers fairly. AlterNet was there as well, and we bring you photos and audio from the rally--hover your mouse over the photographs below to get a pop-up sound file with music, speeches, and more. 

Golden Farm worker on the job

The crowd gathers.

Rude Mechanical Orchestra plays.

Pay your workers overtime!

State Senator Eric Adams speaks.

City Councilman Brad Lander explains what the store owner said about his workers.

Workers' representative Rolando Diaz speaks.

Store manager confronts representatives from the rally and their questions--are you going to pay the workers' back wages?

Store manager promises to do better by his workers

We'll be back--we live around the corner!