Can Volunteer Social Justice Initiatives Cure Workplace Evils?

2038-01-19T03:14:07Z

In the last day I read two friends' blog entries and one friend's Facebook comment regarding the meat plant scandal in Postville, Iowa. I refer you to the blog posts, which are fairly eloquent, and a recent NYT article.

http://thegameiam.livejournal.com/252714.html
http://elias-bachrach.com/wordpress/2008/08/18/herzfeld-and-agriprocessors/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/us/23kosher.html?ei=5124&en=6c0c5959150d59c8&ex=1377230400&adxnnl=1&partner=facebook&exprod=facebook&adxnnlx=1219600899-H9/kKpiVh7ddoqSdORXxdw

(The first person to teach me the elegant hyperlinks wins!)

As a friend asks, why the opposition to a social justice stamp? Why does it seem that those affiliated with the Conservative movement endorse this type of approval on their food, and the Orthodox folks are resistant? There is much to ponder here and I think that separate issues are getting co-mingled here (kil'ayim, anyone?).

Given the seriousness of the allegations against the meat plant, the investigation belongs in the hands of U.S. law enforcement agencies. While law enforcement is not flawless, I do not see how a volunteer ethics committee is capable of investigating whether immigration papers are fraudulent or not, whether paychecks are paid on time or not, and whether employees are assaulted-- by anyone in the workplace. All of these are prosecutable offenses and belong in the court system. To assume that US agents can't catch these violations but a volunteer group, with limited resources, can is stretching my imagination.

Also, I'm not clear what items will be on the ethics committee's checklist that is outside the purview of US law. What would they be violating by the standards of the social justice group while complying with US law?

Assuming agreement can be established that US law and law enforcement have a legitimate role in this scandal, should a social justice standard be adopted? Sure. Why not? I support such a development. However, as the resident of a city (country?) that uses one, and find its impact to be limited and disappointing.

In J-m I encounter the the "Tav Hevrati" which is very similar to what is being proposed. To the best of my understanding, eateries that meet the standards of the social justice group are awarded a label of approval that they can hang in their window, brag about, and use to promote themselves. I think the standards including paying workers at least minimum wage, paying them on time, and having restrooms that are handicapped accessible. By the way, I have a habit of inquiring in eateries if they are on the approved list.

Guess what: Nearly all of the coffee shops meet the standard and none of the restaurants do. I guess at restaurants where the menus are more expensive, management expect wait staff to make their earnings off of tips. With no restaurant bearing the symbol of approval and no restaurant publicly known to exploit its workers, will the public realistically "boycott" these establishments? Is it even considered a boycott when it's all food establishments of a comparable caliber? I wonder if some of the coffee shops improved their practices toward workers in order to get on the list. If so, that's great and I'd love to hear about it (and any other corrections regarding my understanding of the operations of the Tav Hevrati).

One coffee shop near my house does not have the stamp b.c other than the outdoor seating section, all indoor seating, kitchen, etc. is one and two landings below the street entrance. (This city is a series of hills.) Therefore, their restroom is not wheelchair accessible. However, the guy in charge of Tav HaHevrati reportedly frequents there.

Basically, I support the Tav Hevrati on its fundamental level. I hope that it can exert more power and social pressure in due time. But, given what I see as its limited impact, I find the American community's enthusiasm to be exaggerated. Go ahead, establish one. But, check out existing models and be realistic regarding its power and impact, as it may not solve the social ills it aims to address.

From Nation's Capital to Nation's Capital: The Azza Street Spy

Can Volunteer Social Justice Initiatives Cure Workplace Evils?