“Lots of Time They Don’t Pay”: Understanding Wage-Theft and Resistance in Bryan, Texas through Critical Community-Engaged Research

This critical community-engaged mixed methods study quantifies worker mistreatment on day labor corners in Bryan, Texas, and examines how laborers resist exploitation. Day seek work open air spot markets. The is precarious, with temporary unregulated employment relations, weak enforcement, poor working conditions. In this penalty enforcement regime, violations are not surprising. Contrary to dominant theories, however, we argue that demand-side (industry) characteristics more important for explaining the prevalence of violation than supply-side (worker characteristics). We use Central Texas Labor Survey (2012–2021), 210 ethnosurveys consisting 55% unauthorized workers, 24% authorized 20% Latinx, Black, White citizens. find higher indices abuse associated lower-status workers; all irrespective legal status or citizenship, experienced by employers. Demand-side were partially levels wage theft mistreatment. terms wages, found a gradation wages lowest immigrants, then Latinx citizens, Black lastly Finally, workers collectively fight back against injustice warning each other about unscrupulous