Workers' Rights Board

Mayor Eric Lucan, Nancy Dobbs, Ralph Miranda, Matt Myres, Alicia Sanchez and Paul da Silva

Statement

The Workers’ Rights Board is a public forum where workers can bring complaints against employers for violating their human and legal rights in the workplace. The Board is drawn from a broad spectrum of community leaders and can intervene with employers and the public to help resolve situations that threaten workers’ rights. The Board believes that it is especially important to support the efforts of low wage workers, who tend to be women, immigrants, young workers, and workers of color, to achieve justice in the workplace. Safe, living wage jobs, where workers are not discriminated against for speaking up for their rights, are the backbone of any healthy community. Nationally there are more than 40 Jobs with Justice chapters and 20 Workers’ Rights Boards.

Purpose

The North Bay Workers’ Rights Board is convened to bring to light and respond to injustices in the workplace. The Board also fights for community labor standards that respect the dignity of all workers. In recent years workers’ rights have been eroded. Workers are often intimidated or fired for speaking out or for union organizing. All too often the community does not know these stories. It is time for workers voices to be heard by our community.

Goals

• Hold public hearings or press conferences to expose workplace injustices and the violation of workers' rights
• Investigate incidents where employers are accused of violating workers rights or unfairly resisting efforts of workers to have a voice in their workplace.
• Establish community standards about fairness in the workplace that will serve as a moral benchmark to which employers can be held accountable.
• Support and strengthen workers’ democratic rights through community education.

Reports and Findings 

Current Workers' Rights Board Members

Andy Merrifield - Co-Chair
Professor of Political Science
Sonoma State University

Bonnie Petty - Co-Chair
Communications Vice President
Santa Rosa Democratic Club

Damon Connolly
Marin County Board of Supervisors

Eric Lucan
Novato City Council

Teresa Barrett
Mayor
Petaluma City Council

Victoria Fleming
Vice Mayor
Santa Rosa City Council 

Dr. Jenny Fish, Family Medicine
Co-Founder and Board Member
Health Professionals for Equality and Community Empowerment 

Esther Lemus
Vice Mayor, Town of Windsor  

Rev. Raymond Decker
Executive Committee
Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice

Nancy Dobbs
Health Issues Consultant
Manager in Media Field

Omar Medina
Santa Rosa School Board 

Noreen Evans
Principal Consultant
Evans Strategic Solutions

Debora Fudge
Mayor, Windsor Town Council

Rev. Ramon Pons
Parochial Vicar
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Petaluma

Rafael Miranda 
President & North Bay Director (retired)
Teamsters Union Local 665

Matt Myres
Retired Teacher, Principal
K-12 Education

Sr. Dianne Baumunk, OSU
Program Director, Public Relations
Angela Center, Santa Rosa

Jeanette Ben Farhat
Political Science Instructor
Santa Rosa Junior College

Julie Combs
Santa Rosa City Council (retired)

Dr. Paul G. da Silva
Environmental Science Instructor
College of Marin

Debora Hammond
Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Hutchins School, Sonoma State Univ.

Rev. Lindsey Kerr, Pastor
Christ Church United Methodist, SR
First United Methodist Church, SR

Rick Luttmann
Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
Sonoma State University

Lisa Maldonado
North Bay Field Director
SEIU 1021

Daniel Malpica
Professor, Chicano Studies
Sonoma State University

Bleys Rose, Chair
Sonoma County Democratic Party

Alicia Sanchez
Board President
KBBF Bilingual Radio, 89.1 FM

Rev. Kirstin Snow Spalding, Rector
Episcopal Church of the Nativity, San Rafael

Francisco Vazquez
Professor of History
Sonoma State University

Gary Wysocky, CPA
Former Santa Rosa City Councilmember