West Palm Beach, FL – In 2010, the PEACE organization began research into the issue of wage-theft, a widespread practice in some industries of non-payment or under-payment of agreed-upon wages after the work has been completed. Similar to the example of Miami-Dade County, which passed an ordinance in February 2010 prohibiting wage theft and establishing a process for workers to file complaints to be investigated by the County, PEACE sought for the same protection in Palm Beach County. On April 19, 2010, 1,313 people attended PEACE’s Nehemiah Action Assembly – the largest turnout in the organization’s nineteen year history. At this Action, PEACE secured commitments from the four County Commissioners in attendance to support the passage of a Wage Theft Ordinance. In October 2010, the County Commissioners voted 6-0 for a first reading of the ordinance, scheduled February 1, 2011. After significant pressure from special interest groups, the issue broadened to the state level later that year where PEACE blocked passage of a state law that would have prevented local counties from passing protections against wage-theft. PEACE is now working with county officials to finally pass the ordinance
