Published Friday, November 8, 2024 in The Stand
Everett City Council Passes Wage Theft Ordinance
Labor hails ordinance that will strengthen wage theft protections on city projects.
The Everett City Council unanimously passed Council Bill 2410-28 on Wednesday, an ordinance strengthening the city's policy regarding wage theft violators. The ordinance will go into effect almost immediately.
Wage theft can be anything from stolen tips, minimum wage violations, requiring work after clocking out, or overtime violations. It is the most profitable form of theft in the United States; employers steal $15 billion a year from American workers, according to research from the Economic Policy Institute.
"Wage theft is a pressing issue that undermines the hard work and dedication of workers across this nation," said Ethan Pfahl, Field Agent for LiUNA Local 292. "As a Union member I fight for fair wages, benefits, and safe working conditions for all workers, yet so many unrepresented workers face unlawful deductions, unpaid overtime, and misclassification that deprive them of their rightful earnings. We stand united against these injustices, advocating for transparency and accountability from employers by empowering workers and holding violators accountable."
State law requires a "responsible bidder" criteria for public work contracts, including a stipulation prohibiting any contract with a bidder who has been convicted of engaging in wage theft in the three years before applying for a contract.
The Everett ordinance, brought forward by Councilmember Paula Rhyne, will build on current state law and extend this debarment period to five years for contracts with the City of Everett, require a check by city staff to confirm responsible bidder status, and include that other professional service contracts over $10,000 are subject to the same five-year debarment period regarding a wage theft violation, per Rhyne.
"The City of Everett has a proud history as a hardworking no-nonsense community," said Rhyne. "In this tough economy and tight city budget, it's important that we make sure that people who work on city contracts receive the wages that they have rightfully earned from their contractor. This Ordinance will strengthen our responsible bidder qualifications for city contracts to send a strong message that we will not tolerate unscrupulous contractors who purposely steal from their employees."
"This ordinance is a huge step forward in protecting workers from being taken advantage of on public projects in the City of Everett and the labor community is thankful for Councilmember Rhyne for engaging with us, hearing the concern, and acting on this important issue for workers," added by Charlotte Murry, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Snohomish & Island County Labor Council.
https://www.thestand.org/2024/11/everett-city-council-passes-wage-theft-ordinance/