New research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst asserts that wage theft is rampant in the residential construction industry in Massachusetts. A series of case studies found workers – mostly immigrants -- who went unpaid for weeks, were denied pay for overtime, or paid less than they were promised. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill spoke with the lead author of the paper, Tom Juravich, a UMass Amherst labor professor.
In response to the study, the Associated Builders and Contractors trade group acknowledged that wage law violations do occur but stated the majority of companies treat workers fairly.
