Report: Wage theft, sexual harassment rampant for Minneapolis' non-union construction workers
A new report says the city of Minneapolis needs to act to end wage theft and sexual harassment in the non-union construction industry.
The report from North Star Policy Action claims many of Minneapolis' construction workers face routine labor abuses, wage theft, unsafe working conditions, gender-based violence and labor trafficking.
Members of North Star Policy Action, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL) and dozens of workers gathered Wednesday at Minneapolis City Hall to push for action amid the report's findings.
María Contreras, a construction worker and CTUL member, spoke about her personal experience with wage theft.
"I have a memory of sitting in my bed, looking at my empty bank account and not understanding how it can be," Contreras said in Spanish, read in English by CTUL co-director Merle Payne. "It was impossible to pay my bills even though I was working so much."
According to a 2021 report from the Midwest Economic Policy Institute, one in every four construction workers have experienced some form of wage theft.
The Institute for Women's Policy Research said in a 2022 report 57% of female construction workers face some sort of sexual harassment on the job.
The report lists a roadmap of how the city should address these issues. It says city leaders need to consider a worker-centered monitoring system with binding agreements for developers, education for workers and consequences for violations.
In a statement, Minneapolis City Council President Elliot Payne said he's "looking forward to working with experts" to help implement the report's recommendations.
"Generations of workers have fought for the labor protections we have in Minnesota and in Minneapolis. But these protections mean nothing if workers can't access them," Payne said.
Back in August, local unions accused three metro businesses contracted by Hennepin and Ramsey counties of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in employee wages.
"Minnesota's prevailing wage laws were put into place to make sure employees are paid a living wage, that they have protection from bad bosses," said Jennifer Guertin, president of AFSME Local 2508. "An employer that breaks this agreement is literally breaking the law."
Find more information on how to report wage theft on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's website. Here are resources from the city of Minneapolis.
Editor's note: The original story incorrectly reported the time and place of Jennifer Guertin's quote. It has been corrected to reflect that her statement happened in August.
Sexual Assault Resources
- (SOS – Ramsey County)
- Sexual Violence Center (SVC – Hennepin County)
- Aurora Center (U of MN)
- 360 Communities (Dakota County)
- Hope Center (Rice County)
- Canvas Health (Washington County)
- Alexandra House (Anoka County)
General Sites for information related to sexual assault and resources throughout Minnesota:
General Sexual Assault Websites:
