Newark Construction Workers Will Get $18K In Missing Pay, Union Says

NEWARK, NJ — Six workers who performed construction work at an apartment building in Newark – then got stiffed on their wages – will get more than $18,000 as part of a voluntary agreement with a real estate development firm, labor leaders announced last week.

According to the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), it told Baldwin Equities, one of the owners of the Indigo Residence on Broad Street, that their former subcontractor hadn’t paid their workers for labor performed at the Indigo Residence between February and March 2023.

When Baldwin Equities learned about the missing wages, the firm agreed to pay them $18,000. Baldwin stated they have already paid the subcontractor for their services, and are exploring all options to recoup the funds, LIUNA reported.

“The health, safety and well-being of everyone who works on one of our projects is important to us, and we are grateful to LIUNA and Local 3 for bringing this issue to our attention,” said Avi Benamu, co-founder of Baldwin Equities.

“As soon as we learned about this situation, we immediately stepped in and paid the workers in full,” Benamu said. “We are committed to working with our partners in labor to ensure that our subcontractors treat our workers fairly.”

LIUNA spokespeople said the workers’ experience isn’t unique, accusing the subcontractor who hired them of being a “body shop” – a type of labor broker that often recruits among immigrants, formerly incarcerated people and other vulnerable groups.

The workers’ victory, brokered by LIUNA, came one day after TAPinto Newark reported news of their claims filed with the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

“Our position is not a radical one — we believe that workers should be paid a fair wage for their work,” said Paul Roldan-Eng, the business manager of LIUNA Local 3.

“We’re thrilled that Baldwin Equities stepped up to help these workers recover their stolen wages, but the fact remains that most victims of wage theft never get a dime for the work they performed,” Roldan-Eng added.

The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) represents more than 40,000 construction workers in New Jersey, New York City, Long Island, Delaware, and Puerto Rico.

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