Florida Immigrant Coalition

The South Florida Wage Theft Task Force (WTTF), an alliance coordinated by the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC) includes immigrant rights organizations, women's and faith community groups, labor unions; legal services providers, and a university-based research organization. It was founded in 2007 to combat the widespread practice of wage theft affecting thousands of low wage workers in a number of industries in South Florida.

In 2010 The Task Force secured passage of a strong wage theft ordinance in Miami-Dade County, one of the first of its kind in the country. It significantly increased the penalties for violation of wage and hour laws, implemented more vigorous enforcement of the laws by local officials, and paved the way for greater cooperation and collaboration with state and federal officials. Based on the success of this campaign, the Task Force is launching similar efforts in other South Florida counties.

The Task Force is one example of an emerging movement across the country to end wage theft through more effective laws and regulations and tougher enforcement that hold employers accountable. The movement combines solid research to document the extent and depth of the problem; effective grassroots organizing led by community groups and unions, and targeted public policy campaigns at the municipal, county, state and federal levels.

2011 grant: $35,000 for county and statewide campaigns to prevent wage theft

Related to: Independent Worker Organizing; Stopping Wage Theft

Visit the Florida Immigrant Coalition website at http://www.floridaimmigrant.org.