Road construction workers in Charlotte, N.C., are protesting unsafe working conditions, and want the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to do something.
Protesters employed by Border Rebar said during a strike near I-77 construction zones March 8, that the company is mistreating its workers, WSOCTV reported. The company was contracted with NCDOT to perform a significant portion of the rebar work along I-77.
According to Caleb Sanderlin, a Border Rebar employee, the company has failed to provide its workers with the necessary training and PPE. Sanderlin himself was hurt on the job, but was unable to get workers' compensation, WSOCTV reported.
Prior Violations
According to the USDOT, Border Rebar was cited with three serious OSHA violations in 2017 and $4,000 in fines. The violations included failure to provide workers with free PPE and failure to train forklift truck operators and determine if they could safely perform their duties on the work site, WSOCTV reported.
The city of Charlotte, which does not have any contracts with the company, is currently investigating the complaints, although city officials said the city itself has limited reach when handling “non-contract performance issues,” WSOCTV reported.
