Labor Justice
- Rabbi Heather Miller
- Jun 25, 2023
- 3 min read
Newsletter June 26, 2023 Together, we're #keepingitsacred...
More than 17,000 hotel industry workers in Los Angeles are on the verge of a major strike. And last Thursday, they led a demonstration at LAX to voice their concerns. Their minimum wage is around $18/hr, but the problem is that a living wage in Los Angeles is $39/hr.
Because of this gap between minimum wage and living wage, many hotel industry workers have moved outside of the county to find more affordable housing. They can't afford to live and work in Los Angeles proper. Many are now driving 2 or 3 hours each way just to work. This has devastating affects on their families, bodies, and communities. And, with several new hotel projects in the work ahead of Los Angeles hosting the 2028 US Olympics, now is the time to advocate for economic justice here.
The members of CLUE-LA (that's Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) who I have stood with since 1998, rose up to support these efforts. Over the years, I have found it to be important for an interfaith coalition of clergy to name injustice.
Jewishly, we find that the Torah and rabbis commenting on it have much compassion for workers. There are many Jewish laws surrounding proper labor conditions that are meant to uphold the dignity of the worker, and also their ability to care for their loved ones.
The book of Exodus provides a harsh critique of forced labor conditions. We are warned time and time again to not be like Pharaoh and the Egyptians who oppressed the Israelites. And we are encouraged to have compassion on laborers.
But beyond this, we are also told how to treat laborers with respect and dignity. The most famous teaching of this is:
You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow Israelite or a stranger in one of the communities of your land. You must pay out the wages due on the same day, before the sun sets, for the worker is needy and urgently depends on it; else a cry to יהוה will be issued against you and you will incur guilt.
And beyond this, the meta-value we are supposed to uphold hails from the Mishnah:
Rabbi Eliezer said, "Other people’s dignity should be as precious to you as your own."
When I attend these rallies, I feel deeply connected with the message of the Torah, that encourages me to notice injustice around me and stand up against it. And to stand up for what is right.
And I am not alone. In Los Angeles, we have built beautiful coalitions of clergy and laity, workers, and unions, who appeal to those in power to recognize what is right and fair and just. I feel solidarity with those around me and I feel like together, we can make a difference. And indeed we can. The first CLUE-LA demonstration I participated in rallied so much support of hotel workers in Santa Monica that they secured a closer-to-living-wage contract and healthcare. These are benefits that we would all want our loved ones to have. And these are benefits that truly, when the lowest paid workers have, benefits the economy. It allows every human to work their best. On a full night's sleep. With time to come home and help their child with homework. With income to stave off the harmful effects of stress and lack of healthcare.
Standing with workers reminds me of the importance of standing for justice and what is good and right and sacred in a world that might otherwise fall into entropy, destruction, and exploitation. I often have a smile on my face because, despite such injustices, I know that I am not alone in my work. There are multitudes of us in our communities, outside of our communities, and around the world who are Keeping It Sacred. And this and the support I receive keep me pushing forward. I hope you feel the encouragement from me and our KITS community members as well to stand up for justice wherever you see injustice. May we each experience the goodness that flows from working to uphold what is sacred.
Together, we're #keepingitsacred...
Rabbi Heather Miller
Founder, Keeping It Sacred
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