Hundreds marched through downtown Austin in Febuary to honor the men and women who have died in the Texas construction industry. The event was organized by Workers Defense Project and drew statewide support.“It is heartbreaking that Texas remains the deadliest state in the country to work in construction. Workers Defense will keep organizing, marching, and taking action until our elected officials stand with the working families they represent,” said Cristina Tzintzún, Executive Director of Workers Defense Project.“We are here today because the hands that build Texas in this deadly industry also feed families. It doesn’t have to be this way -- the Texas construction industry can be safe. But our elected officials must take action,” said Tzintzún.
On Wednesday, February 27, over 500 construction workers and their supporters marched to the Texas Capitol to rally for better working conditions in the industry. Holding banners with facts like “Texas is the Deadliest State to Work in Construction” and “More Workers Die in Texas Than Any Other State”, these activists called for an end to the dangerous conditions and frequent legal violations that characterize Texas’s construction industry. During the day, workers and their advocates visited with every senator and representative, as well as the Governor’s and Lt. Governor’s offices, to share their experiences with workplace injuries, wage theft, and payroll fraud.A recent study by the University of Texas found that one out of every five workers in Texas has been injured on the job and required medical attention. The study also found that construction workers in Texas die on the job at a higher rate than in any other state
March 05, 2013
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is considering interagency collaboration to step up enforcement of worker misclassification violations in Texas, a point they discussed in a meeting with construction industry leaders in December.Misclassification occurs when employers wrongfully identify their employees as independent contractors by providing them with a 1099 form instead of the W-2 for employees or by paying wages in cash and failing to withhold taxes. By misclassifying their workers, unscrupulous employers cut their costs by getting out of paying payroll taxes and fraudulently obtaining workers compensation policies for fewer workers than they actually employ.When government agencies such as the TWC, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Attorney General of Texas share information, they can improve enforcement efforts by identifying likely violations for more effective investigations.
January 11, 2011
Press release from Emily Timm of the Workers Defense Project about the Texas Workforce Commission vote this Monday on proposed legislation to strengthen penalties for worker...
November 10, 2010
