Wage theft is a growing crisis across the country and state. In Massachusetts alone an estimated $700 million is stolen from workers every year. It affects many industries but is particularly problematic in the construction and service industries. Wage theft can take many different forms, including where workers are misclassified as independent contractors, paid cash wages, not paid overtime or for all the hours they worked, paid in lump sums for a week’s work regardless of the hours worked, and sometimes not paid at all.

That's why The Pioneer Valley Workers Center and the Carpenters Union have partnered with several Town Councilors to draft bylaws aimed at preventing wage theft. At a time when federal government is walking away from wage enforcement and the Massachusetts Attorney General is flooded with claims, we need municipalities like Amherst to introduce their own enforcement measures.

The goal of the bylaws are to ensure Amherst is not using public funds (through contracts or tax relief) or granting business licenses to companies with a history of wage theft abuse. Workers should be paid properly and protected. Companies and contractors that “play by the rules” (pay employees properly, pay taxes, and provide worker’s compensation) should not have to compete against companies that have been known to have violated wage and hour rules. These bylaws are based on successful municipal wage theft ordinances now in place in Northampton, Easthampton, Springfield, and cities across MA and the country.