Shoe Mania is a footwear retailer with four stores in Manhattan. The chain is known for offering huge discounts on shoes, boots, sandals, and bags. Shoe Mania is owned by Mark Cohen.

Workers have been fighting for back wages and the right to organize a union since late 2008. Many Shoe Mania workers say they have been subject to illegally low pay and unpaid overtime. Workers have reported working 60 hour weeks without being paid overtime, and do not receive any paid vacation time, sick days, or holidays. Many workers report having never received a pay raise in the entire time they worked for the company. Now, 150 current and former employees are suing the company for more than $3 million in unpaid wages.

RAP is working with current and former Shoe Mania employees in utilizing legal, organizing, and media tools to win their demands from the company. RAP first discovered the wage violations while reaching out to workers at the company about the free job services provided to retail workers across NYC. Upon speaking more extensively with workers from Shoe Mania, it quickly became apparent that Shoe Mania owner Mark Cohen was crazy about more than just great deals on high-end footwear. He’s crazy about pocketing his employees’ overtime pay as well!