Chicago mayoral candidate Paul Vallas' campaign workers say they haven't been paid

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Several workers on Paul Vallas' Chicago mayoral campaign said they have not been paid for their work.

Showing off copies of checks they said bounced, the men had a message for Vallas.

"We were the backbone to your campaign. So, please, pay us the money you owe us because we were out there spreading your name," said Jacob Malagon, West Lawn resident.

The workers said the former candidate's campaign hired them to knock on doors and get out the vote, but three weeks after Election Day they say they're still owed hundreds of dollars.

"Out there just trying to get people out there to vote, and we were promised the money, and we have no money," said Phil Garreau, Brighton Park resident.

"As a matter of fact, today we were told to come out, Wednesday evening at five o'clock, and nobody's in that office," said community activist Raul Montes, Jr.

The complaints come days after Vallas' campaign filed a lawsuit against political consultant Chimaobi Enyia, claiming he was paid nearly $700,000 by the campaign to coordinate get-out-the-vote efforts in the Black neighborhoods, including removing "MAGA" lawn signs that caused controversy days before the election.

The Vallas campaign alleges Enyia did little or no work, which Enyia denies, and he's now threatening to counter-sue.

But the campaign workers say their labor had nothing to do with that contract, and they want to be paid.