BOSTON/Charlestown - Members of the Joint Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification heard testimony from a dozen labor advocates and union and business leaders today, most of whom lauded the work of the multi-agency task force. Governor Deval Patrick initiated the state effort last year in a bid to stop employers who exploit their workers by ignoring state laws and refusing to pay employment taxes, workers compensation, and health insurance premiums.

Various calculations done by Massachusetts officials and academic researchers put the amount of money owed to the state but never paid at about $10 to $12 Million a year.

The following is the testimony of Bob Haynes, President of the MA AFL-CIO. He thanked the Task Force for its activities up to this point but criticized state government, including the Governor and the Legislature, for not applying the same multi-dimensional strategy to other challenges, such as the huge budget cuts made by elected representatives this week.

We'll provide more analysis (and audio clips) of the hearing at Bunker Hill Community College over the course of the next few days.

OMB Audio: Robert Haynes, President, MA AFL-CIO (June 19, 2009)

OMB Audio: More testimony from the public hearing: George Noel, Director, MA Department of Labor; Suzanne Bump, MA Secretary of the Executive Office for Labor and Workforce Development; Alisa Martinez with translator.