The International Union of Construction Workers of North America (LiUNA), denounced today that approximately half of the 50,000 construction workers of Puerto Rico have not been able to claim unemployment insurance because their employers do not pay it in accordance with the Law.
“There are thousands of construction workers starving. 48% of the 50,000 construction workers are in need and are not even entitled to unemployment insurance because millionaire contractors violate the law and do not pay them that benefit to avoid paying fair wages. But, it seems that when the contractors paid the campaign lampoons to Wanda Vázquez they bought immunity, because equally nothing has happened with the contractors who breach the Executive Order that increased the wages to $ 15 an hour for the workers and forced collective bargaining in works government building. We favor resuming construction, but the industry’s pattern of non-compliance does not inspire confidence that they comply with health and social distancing standards to ensure a safe reopening, ”said LiUNA director of public affairs Edison Severino.
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The complaint comes after LiUNA carried out a study on the conditions of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. There it was revealed that approximately 48% of construction workers in Puerto Rico do not qualify for unemployment insurance payments because their employers do not comply with that legal requirement. And of those who qualify, 86% have not received their unemployment payment.
“This practice of the Construction Industry of treating its employees as independent contractors constitutes a clear violation of the Federal law known as the“ Fair Labor Standars Act ”and the Federal Internal Revenue Code. These construction companies, to avoid fulfilling their legal and fiscal responsibilities, are depriving workers of their rights and benefits that they have under the Law, including their right to receive social security when they reach their retirement age, “said the General. Northeast LiUNA Region Counsel, Ray Haineman.
Construction employees in the United States, like all employees in Puerto Rico, are entitled to unemployment insurance when their employers meet the requirement to report that they are on the payroll and make the corresponding payments to the Government.
Those payments by the employer entitle the employee to receive unemployment payments, and additionally receive $ 600 weekly above the usual benefit thanks to the measures approved by Congress in the event of the COVID-19 emergency.
They allege non-compliance with Executive Order 2020-033
“Currently there are several luxury home construction works and other projects in the Municipality of Dorado belonging to the millionaire contractor Federico Stubbe, who are actively carrying out construction work in clear violation of Executive Order 2020-033. Stubbe is a millionaire contractor and political donor that the Governor accepted having visited last February at her luxury residence in Dorado Beach, “said the union spokesman.
The union detailed that recently, newspaper reports have reported that construction contractors paid for political campaign packs in favor of Wanda Vázquez and that she visited contractor Federico Stubbe last February at his residence in Dorado Beach.
“Since Wanda Vázquez assumed power, we have denounced the abuses of contractors and the complicity of the government, but she has made common cause with the powerful and influential and ignores the claims that we, the workers who are rebuilding Puerto Rico, have made. Now there is talk of reopening construction activity and she has not contacted us to discuss safety measures for workers, “said Severino.
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