http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centreda ... 452690.htm

Posted on Fri, Apr. 28, 2006

Contractors group reports heavy absenteeism at job sites


The recent fears and rumors of sweeps by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has nearly shut down production on many South Florida construction projects, according to the South Florida Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America.

Len Mills, executive vice president of the AGC of South Florida, indicated that companies are reporting that as many as 75 percent of their immigrant workforce are absent from projects in Dade and Broward counties.

Although he would not identify the particular sites, Mills gave examples of absenteeism at several Miami-Dade job sites. At one, he said, there were 450 workers on the job before Tuesday and yesterdayjust 112; at another site there were 114 and now there is no one. He said the problem is widespread in Broward also.

''The impact that these reported actions by the Federal government is having a devastating effect on the construction industry which is so vital to the overall economy of South Florida,'' Mills said in a statement.

In a meeting of the AGC board of directors last night held in part to discuss this matter, companies reported that it appears that many of the workers that are staying away from construction job sites are in fact legal immigrants that are choosing to stay home because they are scared their paperwork could be construed as incomplete, he said.