Black Temp Workers in Philadelphia Fight for Dignity

image above: Philly Black Worker Project MayDay 2026 event photo from PhillyBlackWorkers instagram

Brittany: Hey Marcus and Munira! Let’s get into it. Can you tell me about your experiences as a temp worker?

Munira: There were many jobs I worked as a temp worker in a short period of time. I think one of my first titles was a photographer where all I did was scan papers all night. A few times I was sent to the stadiums to clean. I did warehouse work and even worked at the Philadelphia Convention Center as a greeter. I applied for the types of work that I felt most skilled in, but that isn’t what I got. I was trained to work with my hands and I never got those types of jobs! I feel like I was put in the front of the house because I was a light skinned woman. 

There are temp workers in so many different fields that I was even surprised knowing they are in hospitals, restaurants, construction sites and sitting at the front desk of many places we visit daily. Without temp workers our city would not be able to have many of the events that are hosted here yearly like the Wawa festival, The Mummers parade and the many sports events that happen at our stadium daily. It was important for me to go through this to lead me to where I am now. Having a minimum wage job was something I experienced coming home from prison. Before my incarceration, I don’t think I would be able to talk about my lived oppression the way I do now.  

Marcus: Temp workers do the jobs that everyone else does not want to do. We get frowned upon in situations and don’t get paid as much as other workers. If we don’t do the job that nobody else wants to do then who will do them. Temp workers do the dangerous and unsafe jobs that other workers don’t want to do. We get paid unfairly for our jobs. At the end of the day, we keep business up and going when the full time workers alone can’t.

Brittany: I appreciate you both sharing. We know that a person’s job impacts so much more than the worker themselves. How did the work impact you and your family?

Munira: I was heartbroken after working at an agency that I thought would result in permanent employment for over a year. But I wasn’t hired permanently, they fired me because I had a criminal background. They ran the whole team’s criminal background history. Nobody was informed that this was going to happen and overnight I went from working at least 5 days a week for over a year to not having a job at all. My freedom was at stake because I was on parole, but I did my best to keep it from my family. These are the same stories we hear from our members at Philly Black Worker Project. Along with this, we also hear stories of wage theft and worker safety. Current temp workers have shared stories about unsafe vehicles and working in extreme hot and cold weather without any protections. Hearing these things were triggering. And as we say at the Project – With all due respect, we deserve better! 

Marcus: Some agencies don’t even have a pathway to permanent jobs. Working at First Step Staffing I was told I would be hired after 3 months and I was never brought on to fulltime. Being a single father of 9 and not getting the guarantees of full time employment is impossible for me to take care of them. That is living off of hopes and dreams. This is not including the fact that the temp agency didn’t even provide proper PPE. If they would get PPE, then take it out of your check when they have grants and funds set aside for that. Send us to a job site where the agency is only paying the temp workers 15 an hour yet the fulltime workers are getting paid 18 an hour. That’s not right or fair to the temps who do most of the work and work harder than the fulltime workers.

Brittany: I feel like a lot of people don’t even know about this industry, even though temp workers are everywhere! What should people know about temp work in Philly? 

Munira: Over a half a million people are employed as temp workers in the state every year and many work here in the city. The turnover rate is ridiculous and makes it hard for everyone. When we fight for one we are fighting for all. Temp agencies pray on justice- impacted people, the homeless population and even people with mental health illnesses. 

We have had some powerful legislation passed here in the city, like the POWER ACT. It is only right to continue to support the workers who are under-supported the most. If we care about anything else then we need to care about our low wage black workers. Because they are the workers of our city. If we care about our children, then we need to care about low wage workers. It takes a village to raise these young men and women who are entering into the workforce and this is the way to support them finding decent jobs that will lead them into good careers. 

Marcus: Temp workers play an important role in the business world. A lot of businesses use temp workers to get off the ground. If some places can’t afford full time employees then they go to temp workers. Temp workers work at a lot of mom and pop businesses, that’s why we should care. Without the temp workers nothing would get done. In most cases a lot of temp workers are people coming home from the system. So the temp agencies prey on those people. Why? Because they feel like they can use the people who are desperate and need jobs. Temp workers are very important as I’ve said before we get the jobs done that no else will do or is willing to do. We are the corner stones in the work force that doesn’t get recognized.

Brittany: What would be different if all jobs in Philly were good jobs and treated people with dignity and respect?

Munira: That would just be too much like right! When you have a safe and secure job, you leave room to enjoy life. With job security our people can pay bills, eat healthy and even enjoy things like vacations and spending time with family. People who don’t have the skill and training that they want would be able to get it from the place that they give their labor to. People need to at least like going to work and when jobs treat you with dignity and respect it will show in people’s work ethic. Then we would see more people happy and healthy. 

Marcus: You might have employees that come to work on time and don’t call out. You might actually have employees that are happy to be at work because they are treated with dignity and respected. There would be less complaining and more production. People may actually hit all of the production orders and quarts in a timely manner. If you get paid properly and not in a stressful work environment things would be a lot better for everyone.

Brittany: Some of these temp agencies are low road employers-  what would you tell those agencies, if they are reading this?

Munira: If I could tell bad bosses anything it would be “I hope it’s not too late because we are coming”. These bad working conditions and habits will not be tolerated. For far too long my people have been held down and this is our time to support each other in making changes that will not just change conditions for ourselves but for our future generations to come. Our children need to be proud of what they do. Make things right now, inform workers of their rights, have signs with the labor laws printed in languages of the people you hire. This is already the law so before you point the finger at others make sure that you are following the way of the people. 

Marcus: If I had to tell bad bosses who are reading this article one thing it would be take accountability for your actions and treat your workers with the dignity and respect they damn well deserve. Without your workers your companies or agencies wouldn’t be up and running. With All Due Respect We Deserve Better and you should do better as a matter of fact you should start trying to become great and treat your workers great.

Brittany: You are both powerful leaders in the Philly Black Worker Project. Tell me more about your involvement in the Project?

Munira: The Philly Black Worker Project is a place where black people can come together when everyone thinks we can’t. We believe in care, solidarity and transformation which is how we are going to make the impossible possible. We do that by getting legislation passed, fighting back against bad bosses and working through the needs of our people through wellness days and other drives. There are a lot of things that matter to me in life but educating and empowering my people is high on the list and that is what we do at the Project. One of the best parts about being at the project is supporting black people. My people are still being oppressed at an alarming rate. Usually it starts financially. In order to be where we want to be financially people need better than what we have been given. Let’s learn and grow together. 

Marcus: We are not afraid of holding bad bosses accountable. We are fighting for all workers, job security and getting people off the streets. The Philly Black Worker Project is my family. It’s a major empowering movement for fighting for our black and brown people that can’t or won’t fight for themselves so someone has to. 

Brittany: Tell us about the power of organizing. Why do you believe in organizing Black people toward liberation?

Munira: I was made a believer when I saw how it worked. We, as in my people, oppressed people, need to be in the conversation. The power of organizing has been proven while making history here in this city time and time again. We have shown that with elected officials but we have also shown this by the amazing legislation that has been passed. My mother prides herself in the fact that she made sure we were book smart and street smart as she would like to say but there has been so much that I have learned being in this movement space that I know this is the way towards liberation. This is current history that we are talking about. With all that is happening with rising prices of food and gas has to show us that change happens when we make it happen. We are angry and ready to fight. 

Marcus: Organizing shows us that people are tired of being used and abused so we’re going to stand and fight the right way for our rights to be treated fairly. We need to liberate our black people who have held it down for so long – that is going to make it a lot easier and better for the next generations to come. When black power is displayed people become very afraid because the knowledge and integrity that we hold together as a people will make the people who are against us think and start to open up their eyes and see things differently. 

Also, organizing, correction Black organizing, makes the public afraid of the Black excellence and integrity when we stand together. History has shown when we stand together they start unaliving our Black leaders. That was then and this is now. Here we stand and we’re only going to get stronger and better.

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This narrative is part of Generocity’s 2026 Flourishing Series, supported by People’s Media Fund