By Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-937922.mp3
Buffalo, NY – A local construction company pleaded guilty in a Buffalo courtroom Wednesday for failing to pay workers proper wages.
The Erie County District Attorney and State Labor Department announced that Trac Construction, doing business as Municipal Milling and Mix-In-Place of Angola, failed to pay proper prevailing wages.
The company contracted for work on for several public works construction projects throughout the area, including the Town of Amherst, Hamburg and Tonawanda and Kenmore, underpaying 11-workers.
"This employer showed a blatant disregard for his workers by willingly cheating them out of their hard earned money," said State Labor Department Commissioner Colleen C. Gardner.
Mike Clark is deputy director of office of special investigation with the state labor department. Clark says the company filed false documents.
"The company paid the workers the prevailing rate of pay, when in fact that was not true. But based on these false documents that were filed with the municipalities, they then were to pay out on the job. They're responsibility is to receive the certified payrolls and make payments," said Clark.
Under the plea deal, the firm must pay more than $444,00o dollars in back wages, interest and penalties.
Sentencing is set for late January. Trac Construction could be receive a fine of up to $710,000.
"Imagine going to work at a set wage and being paid less than half the money you're owed. That's what 11 Western New York workers had to deal with for three years. With this guilty plea, the days are over for Trac Construction's fleecing of worker wages and the public trust," said Gardner.
The wages to be paid to the 11 workers result from work performed for the following municipalities and agencies:
Town of West Seneca
Town of Amherst
Town of Hamburg
Town of Tonawanda
City of Tonawanda
City of North Tonawanda
Town of Kenmore
Town of Grand Island
South Park High School (Buffalo)