Laborers win $150,000 from ‘body shop’

Federal suit accused the company of wage theft

For years, non-union labor brokers in the city have employed laborers from vulnerable communities, such as newly arrived immigrants and people recently released from prison, to lower their labor costs. These subcontractors, who work directly with construction companies, are referred to as “body shops” by worker advocates. 

Many people recently released from prison have to maintain employment as a condition of their parole, often leaving them at the whim of their employers. When employed at non-union construction projects, workers are often paid minimum wage with no benefits, while union construction workers make an average of $28 an hour and have a full slate of health benefits. In 2020, 24 percent of all recently released prisoners worked in construction, according to reporting by The Guardian.