“I came here with a dream to come to this country because it’s a great country to have a good living and a good future for my kids,” says non-union construction worker Efrain Guevara, reflecting on the opportunities he sought in the U.S. But, as he and many others have discovered, reality can be far from the dream. “Unfortunately, things are not the way you think they could be.”
This sentiment is shared by numerous workers in the construction industry, particularly those laboring outside union protections. Many non-union workers are lured by the promise of steady work but often find themselves trapped in a cycle of exploitation. Jesus Jaime, another non-union worker explains, “We don’t get no benefits, for nothing. We just get the money, cash. That’s all we get.” And even that cash payment is often inconsistent, leaving workers scrambling.
Wages in the nonunion sector are frequently far below the industry standard, with some workers saying they are paid much less than they should be, if they’re paid at all. Guevara shared that his boss regularly tells them, “I am kind of shorting money right now. I give you guys some cash today and I give you a check in two days.” But the reality is often much bleaker, as some workers report not being paid for over a month. Fear of losing their jobs forces them to remain silent: “Sometime we keep our mouths shut because we don’t want to lose our jobs.”
The impacts of these working conditions extend beyond just the individuals on-site. When companies opt to pay workers cash under the table, they avoid paying taxes, depriving local communities of crucial funding. As Union Carpenter David Ramirez notes, “There’s a lot of money that doesn’t get put back where it should. So the communities are getting cheated, and the people that are getting paid to do it are getting cheated.”
These accounts highlight the urgent need for reforms and protections in the construction industry. Workers deserve fair wages, proper safety equipment, and the benefits that come with stable, regulated employment. Until that happens, the dream that brought so many to this country will remain unfulfilled for far too many.
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