WESTERN NEW YORK COUNCIL ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

WESTERN NEW YORK WORKER CENTER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2014

The WNY Worker Center is happy to announce it has received funding to continue advocating for workers. The WNY Worker Center (Worker Center) is a project of the WNY Council on Occupational Safety and Health (WNYCOSH). Since 2011, the Worker Center has been committed to promoting workers’ rights through advocacy, education, and organizing. This October the Worker Center received funding to further these goals and increase capacity by bringing on two full-time staff members.

Worker solidarity is as important as ever because of the instability of the workplace. Wages haven’t kept pace with inflation, workplaces are being deregulated, and this is leading to greater health hazards and worker exploitation, and widening the income gap. Workers already trying to make ends meet are struggling even more to protect themselves, their families, and their rights on the job. But in this climate, the Worker Center will continue to stand alongside workers to fight for worker justice. The two staff members will focus on expanding the scope of the Worker Center to:

• Educate low-wage, temporary, and refugee workers on basic workers’ rights,
• Provide resources to help workers organize and empower themselves, and
• Offer direct assistance to workers who are being exploited.

Liz Smith, MPA, worked for WNYCOSH part-time since 2011 as the Worker Center Project Organizer to develop the initiative’s capacity and has been brought on as the new Project Director. Liz will continue to build the project through coalition work, education and outreach to workers in Western New York.

Marshall Bertram has volunteered at the Worker Center for the past two years and was brought on as the new Outreach Coordinator/Trainer. He is an attorney and will continue to assist workers facing legal issues and unfair working conditions on the job through education at on-site worker rights trainings, advocacy at worker clinics providing on-the-spot problem solving and referrals and organizing by empowering workers to stand up for their own rights and the rights of other workers.

If you or anyone you know has a workplace problem, please do not hesitate to call the Worker Center at 833-5416 or visit one of our Worker Justice Clinics:

CONTACT:

Liz Smith

Worker Center Project Director

WNY Worker Center

lizsmith@wnycosh.org

(716) 833-5416 (ext. 14)

Marshall Bertram, Esq.

Outreach Coordinator/Trainer

WNY Worker Center

mbertram@wnycosh.org

(716) 833-5416 (ext. 12)

www.facebook.com/wnyworkercenter

www.wnycosh.org/wny-worker-center/