Thread: Carpenters allege use of undocumented workers

Carpenters allege use of undocumented workers in development project
By Tina Fu/ Staff Writer
Thursday, January 5, 2006

Area carpenters are alleging that developer Hanover Company and its contractor, Samuel Lecomte’s Multi Building Inc., have used undocumented immigrant labor and evaded taxes in several projects in the region, including Villas At Old Concord Road, a condominium development off Old Concord Road.

The New England Regional Council of Carpenters has filed a complaint with state Attorney General Thomas Reilly, the Internal Revenue Service and the Insurance Fraud Bureau against Hanover and Multi Building Inc, said Frank Santa Fe, a council spokesman..

The carpenters have expressed concerns by staging protests outside the Villas at Old Concord Road site, holding signs that were visible from Concord Road. Similar protests were planned at other Hanover development sites, they said.

There were also plans for similar protests at other Hanover development sites.

Santa Fe said a similar complaint to the attorney general, made in August 2005, forced the temporary shutdown of the project on Old Concord Road. The attorney general’s office would not confirm that contention and neither the Insurance Fraud Bureau of the Internal Revenue Service could be reached for comment.

The carpenters accuse Hanover Company of authorizing one paymaster to distribute payment to the workers from a lump sum of cash. They also allege misclassification of workers as so-called independent workers to avoid the payment of taxes.

A spokesman for the Hanover Company could not be reached for comment.

http://www2.townonline.com/billerica/lo ... eid=402551

Area carpenters are alleging that developer Hanover Company and its contractor, Samuel Lecomte’s Multi Building Inc., have used undocumented immigrant labor and evaded taxes in several projects in the region, including Villas At Old Concord Road, a condominium development off Old Concord Road.

The recent economic impact report on Hispanics in NC said that roughly half the Hispanics in NC were illegal aliens and that 30% of the construction jobs were done by Hispanics. My first question is who and where is the other 60% . Every construction site I happen to go by, both residential and industrial, have a lot more than 30% Hispanic workers. Also, If half of the NC Hispanics are illegal aliens wouldn't that mean that 15% of the construction workers are illegal aliens?? How much longer is this going to go on? Sounds like ICE needs to focus some on the construction industry.