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COMMENTS:
Alex Scherer-Jones began working for Grassroots Campaigns to fight the Bush administration and elevate the fortunes of the Democratic Party. The 21-year-old MATC student left feeling exploited and sour: "I went in there being very idealistic and it kind of ruined my idealism."
The job involves going door to door asking people to give money to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, using talking points that include a call to raise the minimum wage. For this, Scherer-Jones says he was paid far less than the state minimum wage of $6.50 an hour.
"I worked 37 hours one week and got paid around $130 ," recalls Scherer-Jones, who quit after two weeks.
John Dedering worked for Grassroots Campaigns for about a month last year and again this year. He says the company paid a satisfactory base wage in 2005, when he canvassed for Environmental Action, but this year switched to a new system, dropping his wages to less than minimum.
Juan Ruiz says he put in about 45 hours working at Grassroots Campaigns for five days this year, and was paid just $56. And Miles Kristan produces pay stubs for two two-week periods, during which he says he typically worked 50 hours per week. One is for $339.81, the other for $281.50. Before taxes. (For these and more, see Document Feed at The DailyPage.com.)
In ads that have appeared in Isthmus, Grassroots Campaigns claims to pay $1,200 to $2,000 a month; this squares with signs around town that mention a range of $300 to $500 per week. The ads picture George Bush below the words, "Corruption and Scandal / Had Enough?"
Grassroots Campaigns is a for-profit company based in Boston, with operations in 18 U.S. cities. It is currently canvassing for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which raises money for targeted congressional races. None are in Wisconsin, but the Dem who wins the three-way primary in the state's 8th Congressional District could get some DCCC cash.
Emily Larson, Grassroots Campaigns' regional director (she also oversees operations in Minnesota, Texas and Colorado), defers all wage-related questions to Wes Jones, the company's national canvass director. Jones confirms that some Madison canvassers may be receiving sub-minimum wage, but insists there's nothing wrong with this.
"These kind of fundraising and sales positions are governed under different ," asserts Jones in a phone interview from Seattle. He says canvassers get a base pay of $300 per week if they meet their "minimal fundraising standard" and can make more if they do especially well. But if they fail to meet quota - which changes based on the group average - they get a straight-up commission of 47% of whatever they collect.
Jones also confirms that Grassroots Campaigns does not pay for an initial "observation day" in which applicants are trained and then sent to canvass. The company considers this experience - which Scherer-Jones says is an all-day shift in which money is raised - to be "a second interview."
These practices likely violate state law. Rose Lynch, spokesperson for the state Department of Workforce Development, says there are no special rules for canvassing firms and "even individuals paid on a commission basis must receive at least minimum wage." She adds that workers should be paid for any mandatory training and get overtime for anything beyond 40 hours a week. Lynch urges anyone who feels these rights were violated to file complaints. (Forms are available off the DWD Web site or by calling 266-3345.)
DCCC spokesperson Bill Burton asserts that all of the money collected by Grassroots Campaigns - every last penny - goes to his group, which then pays Grassroots Campaign a fee for its role. But he refuses to divulge how this shakes out as a percentage of what's collected: "The terms of the contract are confidential." (Figure less than half, with Grassroots Campaigns' commissions, costs and profits.)
How does the DCCC feel about having workers making less than minimum wage soliciting contributions to help it force the evil Republicans to raise the minimum wage? Burton said he'd look into this, then failed to call back.
Twice last week, former Grassroots Campaigns workers staged protests in front of its Madison office, 222 N. Hamilton St., holding up a huge banner. Says Kristan, "We will continue to demonstrate until Grassroots Campaigns pays all of its employees minimum wage."
Jake Titus, canvass director for the group's Madison office, says staffing is "a little fluid right now," at less than 15 employees. But the outfit plans a "college-recruitment push" that he hopes will swell its ranks in advance of the fall elections: "I would like to have as many people as would like to come work for us."
Voted : That's hypocritical, they should pay their workers minimum wage at least
If true, that's wrong. The workers should get at least minimum wage.
See, herz? Was that so hard ... prioritizing principle over Party? 
Well, at least they used american workers. The Bush campaign farmed out jobs overseas.
Cath: you seem to be the only one to do so.
I sure don't see a whole lot of criticism about this.
^We're just using "the herzie method" which means you never criticize one of your own. Since this is a herzie ballot, doesn't it make sense that we would do it the same as herzie would?
Voted : That's hypocritical, they should pay their workers minimum wage at least
The democrats shouldn't follow the conservative lead and drive down wages, they should raise them if anything.
Herzog's principles seem to be pay everyone less and less but ensure he makes out like a bandit.
' Herzog's principles seem to be pay everyone less and less but ensure he makes out like a bandit.'
Well apparently I'm a democrat.
Herzog, you should read the book by Peter Schweiser "Do As I Say: Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy".
"If true, that's wrong. The workers should get at least minimum wage.
See, herz? Was that so hard ... prioritizing principle over Party? wink
by Cathexis
What should the minimum be?
$15,000 year?
$150,000 year?
A "living wage"?
Would a "living wage" be uniform across the nation or would it take account of the differing cost of livings across this great nation?
If it did take account of differing costs, then wouldn't someone in Alabama complain that Californians were getting treated better?
Geographical-ism is the new word the left would have to invent to combat this new atrocity.
The answer is simple, take money out of the equation and treat all equally.
All jobs need to be filled and noone should feel that their labour is undervalued.
I also believe lifetime learning should also be encouraged so we have a more literate and enlightened world population.
Yeah, that's why the worlds finest neuro-surgeon should be paid and valued the same as a rodeo-clown. Both are jobs that need to be done, why should one be considered better simply because it is more difficult and more highly prized?
And I do think it's amazing how democrats do this, because this isn't the first article I've posted on dems screwing their working men and women over. And Mr. Moore is notoriously brutal towards his employees, giving them low pay, no benefits, treating them horribly and refusing to deal with unions.
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