Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 91

CHAPTER 2 great hostility to government regulation. It is a precarious position. Between 1980 and 2007, the number of inspectors enforcing federal minimum wage and overtime laws declined by a third—while the labor force grew by half.126 In 2011, more than 7,000 collective actions were filed in federal court alleging wage and hour violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.127 A 2008 survey of low-wage workers in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York—the three largest U.S. cities, with a combined labor force of more than 11 million workers—found that 26 percent were paid less than the minimum wage, 76 percent were underpaid or not paid at all for overtime hours, and 70 percent worked off the clock before or after their paid shift. On average, the 4,387 workers in the survey were not paid for 15 percent of their time—an average of $2,634 was stolen from their annual earnings.128 The vast majority of these workers were supporting at least one child. The wage theft meant that every month, families had $219.50 less to buy food and meet other expenses. Wage theft takes a variety of forms. It happens in big firms and small. Workers at a NashFigure 2.11 Minimum Wage Violation Rates by Occupation: Survey of Workers in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City Child care workers 66.3% Beauty, dry cleaning & general repair workers 49.6 % Sewing & garment workers 43.2% 29.5% Maids & housekeepers Retail salespersons & tellers 28.2% Building services & grounds workers 26.0% Factory & packaging workers 25.2% Car washworkers, parking lot attendants & drivers 23.9% 23.1% Cooks, dishwashers & food preparers 20.9% Cashiers Stock/office clerks & couriers 18.1% Home health care workers 17.5% Security guards 16.0 % General construction 10.5% Waiters, cafeteria workers & bartenders Teacher’s assistants 8.5% 4.3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% Violation Rate Source: Annette Bernhardt, Ruth Milkman, et al. (2009) Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America’s Cities, National Employment Law Center. www.bread.org/institute? ? 2014 Hunger Report? 81 n