(HOUSTON, TEXAS) - Labor Unions representing Construction Workers on the $1.6 billion LBJ Hospital expansion project are urging Harris County's Public Health Care Entity to address allegations of stolen wages and a fear of retaliation on the construction site. Union Officials say the issue could be negatively impacting potentially hundreds of Workers who were hired by contractors McCorvey Sheet Metal Works LP and Chapparal Insulation. In response to concerns raised by Workers in the past few months, Harris Health has engaged a third-party auditor to field complaints and to assist in reviewing wage-related claims. Sheet Metal Workers Local 54 Business Manager Armando Aguirre said: "Workers must be paid what they are owed without any further delay. But that's not enough. There must be a full investigation and an audit into the sub-contractors accused of misconduct on this project and they must be held responsible." Unions are urging Harris County to send a message to contractors that the alleged behavior - including underpayment, intimidation, retaliation and gaslighting - won’t be tolerated. “Whatever a contractor is stealing from Workers should not be worth the consequences when they inevitably get caught,” Aguirre said. “Taxpayer-funded projects must have a zero tolerance policy for wage and hour violations or retaliation.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Workers allege wage theft on $1.6B Houston hospital project And Stolen wage allegations made against contractors hired by Harris County for $1.6B hospital construction – Houston Public Media