More than 400 construction workers in New York City are recouping $7.5 million in wages after a city investigation found that dozens of contractors had ripped them off. The office that made the announcement, the Bureau of Labor Law, has also debarred 60 of the contractors.
“Contractors who cheat workers and cut corners can never be tolerated, and especially not during a global pandemic,” said Kyle Bragg, president of the Service Employees International Union, echoing the statement by City Comptroller Scott Stringer: “During the economic hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever that workers get the wages they are rightfully owed.”
A city website has been launched with a directory of affected workers for anyone unsure of whether they’re entitled to the millions in wages, and a phone campaign is picking up pace to contact as many of the workers as possible.
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