Advocates press Buffalo council to withhold contractor awards amid apprenticeship compliance questions

Matt Kent, New York Foundation for Fair Contracting, told the Community Development Committee on July 15 that Public Works contractor D and H Paving has “a documented history of wage theft resulting from the employment of unregistered apprentices” on multiple City of Buffalo contracts. Kent said the New York State Department of Labor found the conduct willful and that repeated violations are grounds under the city’s apprenticeship law for determinations of nonresponsibility and for temporary debarment from public works contracting.

The matter drew sustained attention at the committee because council members said they had not seen the records the foundation requested. The committee’s majority leader read a June 23 acknowledgment from the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works and Streets that a Freedom of Information Law request was received and was being processed under New York State Public Officers Law…