Wage Theft a Growing Problem in New Brunswick, Advocates Say

If you've attended a New Brunswick city council meeting in the last couple of weeks, you likely seen New Labor advocates bringing the case of wage theft before the council in search of solidarity from the city's elected officials.

New Labor is a worker-advocacy group headquartered on Bayard Street. Wage theft, or the practice of businesses shorting their workers on the wages they are due for working a job, is one of their big advocacy issues.

According to a report published by Unity Square and New Labor, about 1 in 6 households in the Unity Square neighborhood have experienced wage theft. In the past year and a half, New Labor has recovered $180,000 in unpaid wages on behalf of people who come to them for assistance.

On Sept. 18, Craig Garcia of New Labor asked the council to consider passing an ordinance that would take a stance against wage theft.