Workers' Rights Boards (WRBs) are institutions that engage the power of local religious and community leaders, academics, and elected officials to exert moral, public and political pressure on an unfair employer to expose abuses of workers and their communities.  There is a local Worker's Rights Board in Indiana as well as a National Workers' Rights Board.  As a strategy unique to JwJ, the WRBs have been effective tools that win power for working people through supporting workplace organizing and issue/policy campaigns.  By bringing in faith and community leaders, WRBs have involved new allies in the fight for workers' rights and economic justice. 

In addition to building alliances between labor and community groups, WRBs combat the lack of an adequate legal framework to support worker and economic justice issues.  Although the Boards have no legal authority, the last 13 years have taught us that the local structure of the Boards can produce real results; where the withered legal framework is slow to move, the Boards can spur important action.

Leaders who agree to serve on a WRB review worker complaints and often conduct public hearings - giving employers the chance to participate - and then seek follow-up meetings with management to report their findings and, if possible, resolve the dispute. WRBs may also use letters, delegations, or other tactics to engage employers. WRBs also hear cases regarding social and economic justice issues as well. WRBs throughout the country have recently held hearings on the minimum wage, health care, and immigrant rights.

Click here for a history of the Workers' Righs Board in local communities across the country and at the national level

Current WRB Members

Tom Marvin, IUPUI

Marquita Walker, IUPUI

Cornell Burris, NAACP Indianapolis Branch

Joanne Sanders, City County Council

John Bartlett, State Representative

Rev. Moja Ajabu, Light of the World

Ann Weiss, IUPUI Masarachia Scholar

Rev. Willoughby, Promise Land Christian Community Church

*affiliations are for identification purposes only

Past Workers' Rights Board Hearings

The last WRB hearing was held in April 2009, on the topic of outsourcing.  Panelists heared from workers at the downtown hotels, AT&T and the State of Indiana. 

On September 20, 2008 a WRB hearing was held for the janitorial workers employed at Executive Management Services.  

Click here to see the letter sent to tenants of 101 W Ohio, asking them to stand up for the janitors and their families.

Click here to download the tenant list and send your own letter!