CARPENTERS UNION SUES D.R. HORTON FOR PAYING CASH OFF THE BOOKS TO NON UNION UNDOCUMENTED CARPENTERS

http://gangbox.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/carpenters-union-sues-d-r-horton-for-paying-cash-off-the-books-to-non-union-undocumented-carpenters-in-new-jersey/

Posted in Uncategorized by gangbox on the May 10, 2009

from the NEWARK STAR-LEDGER:

Carpenters’ union sues builder for hiring illegals
by Dunstan McNichol/The Star-Ledger
Thursday March 20, 2008, 12:22 PM

One of New Jersey’s most prolific home builders, D.R. Horton, routinely hires undocumented immigrants and pays them off the books, costing the workers and state taxpayers millions of dollars, a carpenter’s union alleges in a lawsuit announced today.

“I call upon our justice system to send a clear message to D.R. Horton,” Frank Spencer, Eastern District vice president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit in Trenton this morning. “Enough is enough. It’s time to pay the bill.”

In their suit, filed by former state Labor Commission Al Kroll, the carpenters’ union claims Horton fired unionized workers at a Cherry Hill construction site in 2006, then replaced them with a subcontractor who hired dozens of workers off the books.

Repeated at job sites throughout the state, Horton saved millions of dollars by hiring undocumented immigrants who were willing to work for low pay without benefits, the suit says.

In Cherry Hill, for instance, the employees Horton “misclassified” as independent contractors rather than full-time employees were paid between $8 and $14 an hour, far below the prevailing carpenter’s wage of $21 to $23 per hour, according to the suit. Horton and its subcontractors also failed to pay state and federal wage taxes for the misclassified workers.

FULL story at link.

The guysw worked there, off the books, of course.

The boss had a bad write with the board of health, and decided that he would only pay 20 hours to the illegals, even though they all work at least 40 hours per week.

Long story short, latinos, liberals, and America first types (read=anti-immigration) all began to boycott the resturant. It is out of business now..

We must attack on every front.

and the Carpenter's Union is absolutely correct...it impacts workers/wages and, from what I have seen, the difference in cost between someone paid cash under the table is not made up to the customer in a general discount of the product (whether it be a paintjob, tile work, plasterers, whatever)the owner usually still charges the customer at the prevailing wage for labor.