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Painter says wage-theft investigation recovered pay and urges council to pass Wage Trust Fund
Summary
A Denver painter who said she and colleagues were owed prevailing wages described an investigation that recovered pay in January and urged the council to approve a Wage Trust Fund to support nonprofits that assist workers.
At the June 9 public comment session a Denver painter described discovery of prevailing-wage violations at a construction site and urged the council to enact a Wage Trust Fund to support nonprofit enforcement and worker education.
Straya Sanchez said she has worked as a painter for about 11 years and that, after learning about prevailing-wage differences at a site, she and coworkers — mostly Spanish-speaking people of color — pursued help from Colorado Jobs with Justice, the painters union and Denver labor. Sanchez said the group 'won our case and we got our money back in January' and asked council members to pass a Wage Trust Fund so nonprofits can continue to help and educate workers.
Sanchez described employer pressure to stop gathering and discussing wages and said the trust fund would help organizations provide know-your-rights trainings and support investigations. No council response or formal action was recorded during the public comment period.
