InFocus: When, how, and why was IWJ started?

Kim Bobo: Interfaith Worker Justice was started in 1996 by a group of religious leaders concerned that the religious community was not involved in worker justice issues around the country. We needed a structure through which to engage the religious community in concrete campaigns to improve wages, benefits and working conditions of workers in low-wage jobs.

IF: What brought you to this type of work?

KB: I come to this work out of a deep desire to help people in fighting poverty. I had done a lot of organizing work with the religious community on fighting hunger and advocating increases in low-income housing opportunities. But poor people need food assistance or housing assistance because they don’t have jobs or they don’t have jobs that pay enough. It makes sense for the religious community to be involved in the "front end" of these problems. IF: What major campaigns is IWJ currently working on?

KB: Around the country we are working on campaigns to improve wages, benefits and working conditions for janitors, hotel workers, hospital workers, security guards, laundry workers, poultry and meat processing workers, and coalminers. We are also working on public policies to raise the minimum wage and create a just immigration program, and we’re exploring new policy legislation around wage thievery.

IF: When you look at all the work IWJ has been involved in, which one brings you the greatest pride and joy?

KB: The national work across the country to support the thousands of hotel workers in getting better wages and benefits this past year was exciting. The work right now in multiple cities to support janitors is also fabulous. I am also thrilled when the workers center network reports the million dollars or more each year that is recovered in unpaid wages for workers.

IF: Have you had a chance to work on the campaigns involving supermarket and hotel workers?

KB: Yes, Interfaith Worker Justice and its affiliate groups around the country were very involved in both the supermarket lockout a few years ago and the hotel worker initiatives this past year. Work with grocery stores and hotel workers is still continuing.

IF: What could be done to ensure adequate and affordable healthcare coverage for all workers?

KB: We need a comprehensive national program for healthcare for the nation. We are unlikely to see a comprehensive approach in the next two years, but we may see some movement nationally in 2009. There are also several states that are experimenting with efforts to expand coverage. Lots of state initiatives will help move forward a national agenda.

IF: There are many religious groups who do not work with other religious groups due to their perceived differences. However, you’ve been able to involve diverse religious communities in your work. How did you do it?

KB: We focus our work on a select set of concerns – worker issues – and unite people around our shared values. We do not discuss and work on issues that divide us, but stay laser-focused on issues upon which we agree. Also, we try to avoid stereotyping faith groups into liberal, conservative categories that tend to limit instead of expand opportunities for collaboration.

IF: How would you describe the Muslim community’s involvement in your work?

KB: We are really excited about the growing Muslim involvement and interest in our work. I would guess that two-thirds of our 60 groups around the country have active Muslim involvement, and the rest of the groups are reaching out to mosques in the area. Just last week I was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and was delighted to meet Muslims active in the work there.

IF: What are the most practical steps in getting Muslims more involved on worker justice and livable wages?

KB: The number one step is to build relationships with the Muslim leaders in the community. When the leaders know of our work and learn of how we respond in faith to problems workers face, Muslim leaders are generally eager to get involved. So, reaching out and building relationships is key.

IF: In the post 9/11 world we live in, the Muslim community has been attacked by various right-wing groups. What do you think, as a leader in the interfaith movement, can be done to stop the attacks on the Muslim community and ensure dialogue and cooperation?

KB: I think the non-Muslim world must do a better job standing up against the attacks. It is good for Muslims to stand up, but perhaps even more important for other religious leaders to stand up. This is most likely to happen when Muslim leaders are known as friends and colleagues to others in the religious community. For example, there is strong Muslim involvement in our Phoenix group. When several Muslim leaders were stopped in trying to board a plane, the Interfaith Worker Justice joined the protests – those stopped were friends and colleagues.

IF: How can more people get involved in fighting for worker justice?

KB: If there is an interfaith worker justice group in your community, join it. If not, consider helping to start one. Also, if you do not get the newsletter and emails from Interfaith Worker Justice, sign-up immediately at www.iwj.org. This is the best way to stay abreast of what the religious community is doing on worker justice issues.

IF: IWJ has grown into a prominent national organization. What do you see are the next steps the organization must take to positively influence legislation on issues of economic justice?

KB: We must develop congregational contacts in key congressional districts around the country that can help mobilize their congregations on timely legislative issues. We are definitely going to be looking for mosque contacts for lots of congressional districts. Let us know if you would like to be one!

IF: Many Muslims within our communities are afraid to donate, participate or even speak out in fear of being rounded up, monitored, or receive a visit from the FBI. Obviously this will extremely limit the participation of Muslims to organizations like IWJ and other interfaith groups around the country. How do you see organizations like the ones you started solve this problem of trust?

KB: The more people work in partnership with other religious leaders in the community, the more comfortable people will feel in speaking out. There may be situations in which Muslim leaders will want to take a background role, and that’s fine. Being in relationship with colleagues allows one to talk about what roles feel appropriate at what times. To reiterate, building trust requires us to build relationships.

IF: What has been one of the hardest projects you have worked on and why? How was this project resolved?

KB: When I first started the organization, I thought that religious institutions, such as hospitals, just didn’t understand how their anti-union behavior hurt workers. IWJ conducted an education program aimed at religious hospitals to help them hear from workers about how horrible the anti-union behavior was. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that the problem wasn’t merely an educational one. Too many of the institutions realized exactly what they were doing — they were doing everything in their power to keep unions out. I wish I could say that the issue has been resolved by religious institutions behaving better. I don’t think that has happened. What we have learned is that our main job is to stand with workers and support their rights to organize, whether in a religious institution or not.

IF: What makes your work worthwhile?

KB: God wants us to care for our neighbor as ourselves. We have the opportunity to make concrete improvements in people’s lives. This enables us to put our faith into action. What a gift!