For Immediate Release: July 6, 2020
Contact: Phil Davidson
pdavidson@carpentersunion.org
Chicago Carpenters Union Scores Another Win in Fight for Fair Wages
CHICAGO – The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters today announced another victory in the union’s ongoing fight against wage theft in the building trades.
As a result of the efforts of the Chicago Regional Council’s fraud department, the Illinois Department of Labor is requiring the developer of a child learning center in Brighton Park to pay $225,000 in penalties and back wages owed for violations of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. The Department of Labor ordered Brighton Park Learning Center general contractor Griggs, Mitchell & Alma of IL, LLC, to pay $187,081 to satisfy back wages owed to workers and $37,416 in penalties. The case is now closed.
The Prevailing Wage Act requires contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers, workers and mechanics employed on Public Works construction projects no less than the general prevailing rate of wages (consisting of hourly cash wages plus fringe benefits) for work of a similar character in the county where the work is performed. The Chicago Regional Council recently started a full-time fraud department to investigate Prevailing Wage Act violations to keep developers honest and fight for fairness for both workers and Illinois taxpayers.
“For too long, scofflaw contractors have been able to cheat the system and pay workers less than what they are entitled to,” said Chicago Regional Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Gary Perinar. “This affects us all. It takes away tax dollars from our communities, which during this global pandemic are needed more than ever, and it puts our signatory union contractors at a disadvantage for competitively bid projects. Our union says enough is enough. We will continue our fight on behalf of the working class and are committed to holding tax cheats accountable.”
About the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters
The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters represents over 30,000 working men and women from 19 local unions across Illinois and Eastern Iowa. The Chicago Regional Council provides the construction and maintenance industries with productive, competitive and certified professionals, encompassing a wide variety of crafts and skills.
