Workers claim wage theft at 145 Front St. development
PHOTO/NATHAN FISKE
Workers on the 145 Front St. project claimed they were victims of wage and hour violations.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a "no comment" from Erland Construction.
A group of local carpenters who worked on the 145 Front St. project in Worcester are claiming they were victims of wage and hour violations.
According to a press release from The New England Regional Council of Carpenters, P&B Partitions, the New Jersey contractor hired for the project, failed to pay employees for all hours worked and paid them overtime in cash at a lower-than-legal rate. Two out of three carpenters who filed complaints with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office also alleged they were fired when they brought concerns about their wages to the company’s attention.
In a statement, developer Roseland Residential Trust said that it expects its contractors to pay workers fairly.
“While we can't be specific about this matter, Roseland hires contractors based upon price and quality, and we expect them and all of their subcontractors to comply with employment laws," said Ilene Jablonski, the company's senior vice president of marketing.
The project’s construction manager, Erland Construction, declined to comment. P&B did not immediately return requests for comment.
“Wage theft and payroll fraud contribute to the growth of income inequality by lowering the standards for carpenters and by shrinking state and federal budgets that pay for important services like education, job training, and infrastructure,” said Jack Donahue, business manager of Carpenters Local 107, the Worcester carpenter’s union, in a statement.
The $90-million 145 Front St. project, which is expected to be done this fall, will eventually include retail space and 365 apartments.
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