CONTACT:
Erin Duggan
Cy Vance for Manhattan DA
(646) 248-4370
eduggan@cyvanceforda.com

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) today endorsed Cy Vance for Manhattan District Attorney. RWDSU, which represents approximately 45,000 members in New York City, voiced strong support for Vance’s comprehensive Plan to Increase Criminal Prosecution of Labor Law Violations, which specifically addresses wage discrimination issues, worker safety and protecting immigrants. As District Attorney Vance will increase the investigation and prosecution of employers who endanger workers, cheat them of a fair wage or participate in anti-competitive practices that harm Manhattan’s business community.

“The top priority of the District Attorney is to protect residents from crime. As we continue to drive down street crime, we must sharpen our focus on labor crimes that rob hardworking men and women of fair wages and create an unfair business environment,” said Vance. “I’m proud to have the support of New York’s Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, which vigilantly protects workers from abuse. Businesses that violate laws and threaten the safety of workers and the public are put on notice – they will be found, and they will be prosecuted.”

“Manhattan needs Cy Vance, because we need a prosecutor who puts justice above politics, a leader who isn’t afraid to take on businesses that violate the law,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. “Cy Vance has a proven record of standing up for workers and he will putworkers first by bringing the DA’s Office into underserved communities. Labor built this city, and working New Yorkers will be best protected with Cy Vance fighting for their rights as the people’s prosecutor.”

Appelbaum highlighted Vance’s work on behalf of nearly 28,000 women employed by Boeing Co. who were underpaid and under-promoted. The suit was one of the largest class-action lawsuits for women’s pay equity in the nation’s history, and it resulted in a financial victory for victims and widespread changes in the company’s policies and practices.

RWDSU, which represents workers across the U.S. and in Canada, joins a long list of prominent endorsements from groups and individuals who believe Cy Vance will be the best District Attorney. This includes current District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, feminist Gloria Steinem, former Mayor David Dinkins, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, activists and attorneys Caroline Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., former Comptroller H. Carl McCall, former United States Attorneys including Robert Fiske and Zachary Carter, veteran civil rights attorney Eleanor Jackson Piel, Former Corporation Counsel of the City of New York Victor A. Kovner and more than 100 former prosecutors who know first-hand the expertise needed to be a successful District Attorney. Vance has also been endorsed by labor organizations like the Teamsters Union - Local 237, the Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York, local district leaders, community activists and Manhattan religious leaders.

PLAN TO INCREASE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF LABOR LAW VIOLATIONS:

Illegal labor practices don’t just violate the law – they endanger workers and the public, cheat hardworking employees of their earned wages, and hurt New York City’s economy. Under Vance’s targeted Plan to Increase Criminal Prosecution of Labor Law Violations, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office will take a strong stand against those business owners who routinely break the law, increasing their profits while neglecting the safety and fair compensation of workers. Allowing illegal labor practices to flourish also hurts honest business owners by putting them at a competitive disadvantage. These practices harm Manhattan’s citizens and our economy, and, as District Attorney, Vance will make vigorous Labor Law enforcement a top priority.

As District Attorney Vance will aggressively prosecute labor law violations while remaining equally committed to prevention efforts and to finding long-term answers. Vance will work with business, labor, and community groups to find effective, equitable solutions. He will strive to assure all individuals that they can safely come forward without fear that their immigration status will be reported. As District Attorney Vance will never stifle business, but he will make sure that it is conducted in a fair, honest way that respects the law and the rights of workers. To fight labor law violations, Vance’s plan calls for a three-pronged approach, focusing on wage issues, worker safety, and treatment of undocumented workers. The initiatives will include:

• Wage Issues:
  • Prosecuting Wage Theft. Vance will crack down on businesses that are paying employees off-the-books or failing to pay the minimum wage, as well as companies that are violating prevailing wage agreements. His Office will devote significant resources to aggressively prosecuting:
    • False reporting of workers
    • False reporting of hours
    • False reporting of wage rates
    • Failure to pay appropriate overtime
    • Classification violations
    • Charge-backs against employee wages for rent, meal, vehicle use, uniforms and equipment
  • Increasing Attention. Labor crimes may also be coupled with anti-competitive practices, corruption, and labor racketeering. Vance will ensure that willful failure to file accurate certified payrolls is prosecuted as a felony, by dedicating staff and resources to combating labor crimes.
• Worker Safety:
  • Building Trust. As DA, Vance will work hard to ensure that workers exposed to unsafe work environments are protected from retribution or penalty, regardless of immigration status. His plan calls for working within the different communities in Manhattan to ensure that all workers are aware of the DA’s policy of never reporting a worker’s residency status to immigration officials when that worker seeks help.
    • Vance’s proposed Washington Heights Office will bring ADA’s into a community that has been hesitant to work with law enforcement for fear of retribution due to immigration status. This, combined with other whistle-blower protections, will encourage all workers to speak to authorities about unsafe conditions.
  • Educating Workers. Employees must be informed of their rights, and know that reporting violations will result in serious penalties for employers, not merely a slap on the wrist.
  • Pursuing Partnerships. Vance’s Office will work closely with other agencies to ensure that city building projects are safe for workers as well as the public. His Office will partner with those agencies charged with reviewing work conditions and make sure that they are doing their jobs. Vance will move quickly on their recommendations to investigate and, if necessary, prosecute violators. This proactive approach will increase safety and help to shift the focus from accident investigation and prosecution to accident prevention.
• Undocumented Workers:
  • Reaching Out to Immigrant Communities. Vance will focus on developing a strong relationship with immigrant communities via direct community outreach. Because undocumented workers are too often the victims of wage crimes, his Office will work closely with immigrant community groups to investigate and crack down on establishments that commit these crimes.
  • Ensuring Community-Based Justice. Vance’s Community-Based Justice model will allow prosecutors to be on the lookout for crime trends and spot them more easily. Prosecutors assigned to specific areas will find it easier to recognize local violation patterns, reach victims and gain their trust, and spot businesses that are repeat offenders.