We must stop wage theft that threatens New
York’s working class
Photo via Getty Images
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M BTR AY 28-JUNE 3, 2021 13
BY JOSEPH A. GEIGER
Wage theft has victimized
the working class for
far too long. For decades,
crooked contractors have
fl own under the radar in
broad daylight and built
their million-dollar bank
accounts by stealing the
wages of workers who don’t
know their rights or are too
afraid to report the crime.
The fear of being fi red
or blackballed for speaking
up by powerful contractors
has scared many of these
workers silent. We must
put the lives and dignity
of our fellow New Yorkers
ahead of contractor greed
and end wage theft once
and for all.
The construction industry
creates thousands
of jobs and builds critical
infrastructure that is vital
to New York’s recovery.
Developers eager to
squeeze every last cent of
profi t from their workers
have unleashed an exploitation
epidemic, paying
their workers a quarter (if
they’re lucky) of what they
would make under a prevailing
wage, if they’re getting
paid at all.
When a worker is cheated
out of their wages, we all
suffer: the worker and their
family have to choose between
paying rent or buying
food, wages across the
industry are depressed, and
New York City loses critical
tax revenue. The fact is that
wage theft is a direct threat
to the stability of New York
City’s economic well-being
and our recovery from the
pandemic.
The ripple effects of wage
theft are felt not just in New
York, but throughout the
economy. Across the nation,
workers and their families
lose $8 billion a year to wage
theft, and construction
workers alone are robbed of
$946 million annually.
A study conducted by the
United Brotherhood of Carpenters
also found that corrupt
contractors withheld at
least $811.1 million a year in
overtime pay. These staggering
numbers bring to light
not one or two bad apples,
but of a system that exploits
the working class without
fear of consequences.
They say that “one bad
apple can spoil the bunch.”
That is true with another
money-making scheme used
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
oped
Letters to the editor are welcome from all readers. They should be addressed
care of this newspaper to Laura Guerriero, Publisher, the Bronx Times Reporter,
3604 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or e-mail to bronxtimes@cnglocal.com.
All letters, including those submitted via e-mail, MUST be signed and with a
verifi able address and telephone number included.
Note that the address and telephone number will NOT be published and the
name will be published or withheld upon request.
No unsigned letters can be accepted for publication. The editor reserves the
right to edit all submissions.
by some thieving contractors.
Wage theft goes hand-inhand
with tax fraud, which
is reported on roughly
20.5% of construction sites
per month. Every year, unscrupulous
employers off
load $3.5 billion of businesses’
employment taxes
onto workers, leading to a
total of $8.4 billion in state
and federal tax losses.
That’s billions of dollars
that should be funding local
schools, infrastructure, and
health care. When there are
billion-dollar tax gaps like
the ones left by wage theft
and tax fraud, it’s the everyday
taxpayer that picks up
the bill. These crimes aren’t
only hurting the construction
industry, they are crippling
entire communities.
It’s time these bad actors
stop cheating the system,
stealing wages out of working
people’s pockets, and
corrupting our entire economy.
Allies for the working
class like Senator Jessica
Ramos and Assembly Member
LaToya Joyner have
stepped up in the New York
State Legislature by introducing
S.2766/A.3350 to combat
this incessant violation
of workers’ rights. Their
bill aims to end wage theft
at the top, where the liability
resides. It will ensure
all workers have protection
when their employer tries to
steal their paycheck.
Under S.2766/A.3350,
wage-stealing practices will
be met with legal repercussions.
Construction bosses
will not be able to turn a
blind eye to these illegal
practices and will finally be
held accountable for what
happens on their job sites.
That accountability will
lead to more extensive vetting
of contractors and subcontractors,
safer worksites
and workers bringing home
the full wages they deserve.
Meanwhile, contractors
who have done the right
thing will see no change beyond
finally having a shot
to compete on a level playing
field.
The District Council believes
in the ideal that a
hard day’s work gets a fair
day’s pay, no questions
asked. It is committed to advocating
for all workers in
the construction industry,
both union and non-union,
to ensure jobs, fair wages,
and safe job sites.
Now, it’s time for the politicians
in Albany to do the
right thing for their constituents
and pass the wage
theft legislation championed
by Senator Ramos and
Assembly Member Joyner
that protects the livelihoods
of hard-working New Yorkers.
Now more than ever as
we hope to rebuild back better,
we must change the culture
of greed and hold the
bad accountable. We must
pass S.2766/A.3350 and end
wage theft now.
Joseph A. Geiger is the executive
secretary-treasurer of
the New York City and Vicinity
District Council of Carpenters.
link
link