In Texas, as much as three-quarters of the construction workforce is immigrant labor and as much as half is undocumented labor. While the labor of these workers drives billions in profit for this and many other booming industries, unscrupulous employers frequently cut corners with respect to safety and wages rather than investing in the protections, trainings and fair wages working families need to thrive. This yields tragic consequences; in Texas, a construction worker dies on the job every 3 days.
The Better Builder® Program seeks to improve conditions for Texas construction workers by advocating for the following work standards:
- Living wages, OSHA safety trainings, local hiring goals, worker’s compensation coverage, and independent third party monitoring.