policies

• Pass “Just Cause” firing legislation, to put protocol in place that makes it difficult to discriminatorily or arbitrarily fire people

• Create a committee of community members of color (paid by the city) to monitor hiring discrimination on the basis of race, gender identity or sexuality and other workplace discrimination issues, including wage theft

• Require new developments to hire local workers, pay prevailing wage and hire apprentices from marginalized or underrepresented communities

• Protect misclassified workers including undocumented workers, sex workers, under the table workers, and gig workers through decriminalization efforts and strides to ensure social services access

Just Cause Firing & discrimination monitoring

Businesses in Ithaca are almost entirely owned by white people. When decisions about firing are made without due process or any sort of documentation, they are often left up to the preferences or biases of bosses, leaving Black and brown workers disproportionately fired, disciplined, passed up on raises and discriminated against in hiring practices. As workers, our jobs are essential part of our survival and freedom—that security deserves to be protected by due process and arbitration.

A “Just Cause” ordinance to protect against arbitrary firing is absolutely essential to balance the power dynamic between workers and bosses in situations of firing, discipline and hiring, and to begin combatting historic racial inequities in the workplace. New York City recently passed a “Just Cause” ordinance, which only permits terminations in Fast Food for a “bona ride economic reason” that must be proved by the employer if challenged. We can replicate that model and implement it across industries.

We also will fight to create a committee of community members of color (paid by the city) to monitor hiring discrimination on the basis of race, gender identity or sexuality and other workplace discrimination issues, including wage theft. Enforcement can be achieved through refusal to grant building permits for upgrades to the physical spaces of businesses in violation of discrimination practices, public shame notices or other forms of tax penalties, to be determined by the community. These policies implemented together will begin to combat systemic racism in the workplace and weaken the strongholds of racial capitalism on Black and brown workers.

minimum wage to living wage

Every week, workers across Ithaca pull in far too little working arduous jobs to afford to feed their kids, and pay the bills that keep the lights on and roofs over their heads– incredibly basic needs. People are violently forced to work three or four jobs at once just to make ends meet. This is unacceptable. The cost of living is so high in Ithaca that poor people– and especially Black and brown workers who are disproportionately barred from pay increases— are being forced outside city limits into communities that are outwardly hostile and racist. The current $12.50 minimum wage is still far short of the current living wage of $15.37/hour calculated to account for inflation and basic living expenses

Every worker should be able to enough not just to survive, but thrive. The Solidarity Slate stands by the decades long organizing efforts of the Tompkins County Workers Center to make the minimum wage a local wage in Tompkins County a living wage. Should the County refuse to act to implement that minimum wage policy, the Solidarity Slate will fight to gain Statewide approval to implement a municipal living wage policy.

worker organizing

Every worker should be able to enough not just to survive, but thrive. The Solidarity Slate stands by the decades long organizing efforts of the Tompkins County Workers Center to make the minimum wage a local wage in Tompkins County a living wage. Should the County refuse to act to implement that minimum wage policy, the Solidarity Slate will fight to gain Statewide approval to implement a municipal living wage policy.

As we continue to push traditionally majority-white unions towards more inclusive practices, the Solidarity Slate will also stand loudly and proudly in solidarity with local worker organizing drives and strikes. We will join labor pickets as additional bodies when needed and publicly denounce unjust labor practices, regardless of the scale or local prestige of employing institutions.

Misclassified workers & communities

Undocumented workers, sex workers, under the table workers, and gig workers are usually misclassified as independent contractors and therefore banned from workplace benefits, like health insurance, paid time off, retirement benefits and other fringe benefits. The criminalization of sex work, including housing discrimination against sex workers, must be prioritized alongside the decriminalization of homelessness, addiction and substance abuse. Gig workers must also be re-classified as employees.

One important step we can take to protect workers and people from all backgrounds in gaining access to public services is by issuing a City of Ithaca ID card for Ithacans of all backgrounds, regardless of immigration status. This could benefit every city resident including our most vulnerable communities– the homeless, youth, elderly, undocumented immigrants, formerly incarcerated, and others who may have difficulty obtaining other government-issued IDs.