Por Kendra Atleework | Reportero SDUN

Editors Note: the names in this article have been changed and last names omitted as participants have experienced threats and repercussions and fear future retaliation.

The San Diego Solidarity Network is a group that takes an alternative approach to gaining restitution for employees and tenants who feel they have been mistreated. Members of the Network believe the legal routes of the Labor Board or Small Claims Court are overloaded and say they aren’t always the most effective method of settling disputes.

“I had over $4,000 stolen from me by a previous employer through withheld wages,” said George, a North Park resident and Network volunteer. “The Labor Board demanded that my employer pay me $9,000, which includes interest and fees. The process took seven months, at which point the company had gone out of business. I don’t expect to see any of that money.”

Andreas, another participant, said, “San Diego Solidarity [Network] functions as an empowering network of community members, striving to create a responsible community by confronting injustices by bosses and landlords.”

Modeled after the Seattle Solidarity Network, the group circumvents the legal system and applies direct public pressure to landlords and employers.

George said, “If a restaurant employee explains to us her boss has stolen her tips and we feel we can help her, we reach out to our support network. Together as a large group, we deliver a letter of demands to the boss.” Demand letters list the wrongs the employee or tenant perceived, and explain to the employer or landlord how they can be corrected. For example, a restaurant employee may demand to be paid withheld tips and a tenant may ask that a landlord repair a home.

If the demands are not met within the time period stated in the letter, the group uses direct action tactics to encourage the employer or landlord to follow through. Maria, a Network volunteer, described direct action as “a way of empowering yourself and your community by taking a situation into your own hands without the bureaucracy of the legal system or the government.”

For the Network, direct action involves posting fliers in the neighborhood of the targeted business or landlord. George explained this is intended to inform the public about the situation. “Disapproval from friends, family, and coworkers can be a strong motivator to meet demands,” he said.

If the demands are still not met, the network will often stage a picket at a home or place of business. If a complaint is made against a restaurant, the Network may hold a picket during a busy lunch hour to inform patrons. The group may also hold a picket to prevent a landlord from renting out an empty unit. “If we can impact opponents monetarily, they are more likely to meet our demands,” George explained.

In October, the group picketed in front of an Alpine landlord’s home that owns properties in North Park. According to the group’s website, the landlord maintained his properties with broken doors, toilets and refrigerators. He also collected rent on a unit that had been foreclosed. They picketed with signs and chanted in front of his home. There were no further updates available that explained the result of the picket.

Some observers have labeled the group’s tactics harassment. Andreas disagrees, and said the Network reacts to negative situations created by abusive authority figures, applying pressure only until demands are met. He calls their actions self-defense.

“We see the boss or landlord denying wages to a worker or refusing to repair a damaged property as the epitome of a bully. We are simply calling out an individual for acting irresponsibly…” he said.

Observers have also expressed concern that the Network proceeds with fights without verifying claims against employers or landlords, an intended purpose of the legal system. John, another volunteer with the Network, said the group takes cases they believe could not be fairly resolved through traditional legal routes. “The people we work with are usually [people] whose access to the legal system… is severely restricted due to lack of financial resources.”

John explained the group’s perception is that laws are often skewed in favor of those in power rather than tenants or employees. The group believes tenants and employees are frequently exploited, even by the legal system.

George added, “I think it’s important for working people to become empowered.”

For more information visit sdsolidarity.net