Another key figure targeting wage theft as part of his work is David Ortiz Whittingham, who recently joined Worker Justice Wisconsin as the Construction Organizer.
David grew up in the Madison area before attending Tufts University, where he became involved in labor organizing. As a member of a student organization supporting the custodial workers’ union, and later as a Resident Assistant, he played a key role in a successful unionization drive, strike, and bargaining process that resulted in raises and other improvements. Now back in his hometown, David is excited to continue his work in the labor movement.
Since joining in September, David has focused on two main areas as he’s begun regularly visiting construction sites and community spaces to meet workers. His first priority has been pursuing wage theft cases. This past fall, WJW helped three workers recover over $35,000 in stolen wages, and David has several more cases that are currently pending before the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
David has also begun developing Spanish-language safety trainings for construction workers with support from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). The first step in this process was conducting a Needs Assessment Survey, where David spoke to over 50 Spanish-speaking construction workers in the Madison area about common safety concerns in the industry, such as falls and being struck. While continuing to gather survey responses, he is now analyzing the data to tailor the OSHA trainings to workers’ needs.
Through these safety trainings and the pursuit of wage theft cases, David aims to teach workers the importance of organizing to defend their rights on the job and encourage them to become active members of the worker center. His long-term goal is to bring workers together to collectively tackle the most pressing problems in the construction industry.
If you are a construction worker experiencing wage theft or other workplace issues, you can reach David at david@workerjustice.org or call 608-255-0376. He speaks Spanish.