Mexican Immigrant Helps Secure Sick Days for Everyone in Santa Fe, Regardless of Immigration Status
In 2005, Verónica Velázquez and her husband moved to the United States from the rural state of Michoacán, México, for better opportunities. They landed in California but had trouble finding work. “I wanted to be able to send money back to my family in Mexico,” she said. But “no one wanted to hire someone who didn’t have a social security number or a work permit.”
When a friend told Velázquez about a restaurant that was hiring in Santa Fe, she and her husband moved. “They paid me $500 every two weeks,” Velázquez said. “And that was for a period of around 132 hours.” The hourly breakdown came out to $3.78. Then, friends told Velázquez about the workers’ rights organization Somos Un Pueblo Unido (Somos). There, she learned about the state and federal minimum wage and her rights despite not having legal immigration status. “I realized that I was a victim of wage theft in the workplace,” Velázquez said.
This truly hit home after the restaurant closed, due to workers’ rights violations. With help from Somos, Velázquez and other workers filed a formal complaint. They were successful and won back pay for several workers.
“As time went on, I grew more involved in the organization,” Velázquez said. “I learned so much, and I participated in campaigns about workers’ rights, the struggle to obtain a driver’s license in New Mexico, and Santa Fe becoming a sanctuary city.”
One of the most satisfying victories came in 2022, when Velázquez helped Somos win the right to sick days for all workers in the state, regardless of their immigration status. “We all felt a little more protected,” she recalled. After 18 years in Santa Fe, Velázquez feels proud of the changes she’s helped to make. But she said that the city has opportunities to take more proactive roles in holding bad actors accountable. “There are still certain bosses who don’t comply with the law, and in the future, we want to have workplace trainings to improve working conditions,” she said. .