Carlos began working as a carpenter in Miami two years ago because he said it was one of the higher-paying positions in the city’s booming construction industry. At first, he earned $18 an hour, and now he makes $23 an hour, averaging up to 50 hours a week sawing wood atop Miami’s staggering skyscrapers. However, Carlos, who requested only his first name be published, said the risks of working at the top of luxury condominiums are not worth the pay, which is still barely enough to afford rent in Miami’s inflated market.

“We are just fighting for what is just,” Carlos said. “Considering what I am paid, the risks are not worth it.”

Carlos’ story was one of hundreds included in a recent report that sheds light on alarming labor abuses within South Florida’s construction industry and calls for urgent reforms and stronger worker protections. The report, titled “Behind the Skyline: Labor Conditions in South Florida’s Commercial Construction Industry,” was released in October and conducted by WeCount!, a South Florida worker-led organization, in partnership with Nik Theodore, a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. The comprehensive study, based on a survey of more than 300 construction workers, documents a wide range of issues, including rampant health and safety violations, wage theft, and substandard wages.

“We need a fair salary,” said Arturo, an electrician featured in the report. “That affects everything, even the food you can buy. Your salary impacts your entire life. I could live in a better place, but with my salary right now, I can’t even dream of it. We need to be properly classified for workers’ compensation, and we need employer-paid health insurance.”

Dangerous working conditions

Perhaps most concerning, the report reveals that South Florida’s construction industry has become one of the most dangerous in the nation, with a worker dying every four days in Florida. The study points to inadequate safety measures, extreme working conditions, and the lack of adequate oversight as key contributors to the growing number of accidents and deaths on construction sites.

“I’ve seen young co-workers get badly injured,” Santos, a construction worker who has worked in South Florida for three years, said in the report. “I have seen too many colleagues get injured.” 

Santos said that construction workers are often abused under contractors.

“Oftentimes, developers and general contractors just want to see who charges them less,” Santos said. “It shouldn’t be like that. They should also consider the workers.”

Additionally, Santos said that workers have to buy their own tools and safety equipment. 

“It’s the workers who suffer the most. Whether it’s thundering or raining, I still have to be at work,” Santos said. “I came to Miami to look for a better opportunity. We deserve a lot more than how we are being treated right now in the industry.”

Wage theft and retaliation

The report also highlights the issue of wage theft, with many workers reporting that they are not paid for overtime or are paid less than minimum wage. Some workers even described situations in which they were forced to work without proper safety gear or in hazardous environments without adequate protection from the extreme heat.

Carlos told Prism that when he raised the issue of unpaid wages with his boss, his immigration status was brought up. Carlos spoke to a co-worker, who recommended he contact WeCount! for support.

“It is because of WeCount! that I have been able to be supported,” he said.

Workers seeking to recover unpaid wages often face significant challenges, including lengthy and costly court proceedings. Even when they win a judgment, collecting the owed wages can be difficult. The recent survey found that most workers attempted to resolve the issue by speaking with their employers (71%) or site supervisors (9%), while 23% took no action. Additionally, some employers engaged in retaliatory practices against workers pursuing wage recovery, such as firing or suspending them, threatening immigration enforcement, or reducing hours and wages.

“In some jobs, they lie to you about how much they are going to pay you, but when you see the first check, because of the need, you stay,” Mauricio, an ironworker, said in the report. “I’ve helped build at least 1,500 apartments. But I don’t have my own apartment; I rent.” 

Mauricio said he would prefer to own a home if given the opportunity due to the lack of stability and the high cost of renting. He said he pays $1,600 per month in rent. 

“Construction salaries are not enough for how expensive life has now become in Miami,” he said, adding that his salary depends on how many hours he can work. “It is difficult not to be able to fully take care of my family. We have to improve the construction industry.”

The coalition’s call for increased worker protections comes at a time when Florida is experiencing a statewide construction boom, with rapid growth and development creating a high demand for labor. However, as the report points out, the booming industry has come at the expense of workers’ rights and safety, with laborers facing increasing pressure to work under unsafe conditions in order to meet construction deadlines. Additionally, the state’s law decertifying unions has weakened labor unions, making construction workers’ unions incapable of securing necessary protections.

The report is part of a larger effort by the Build a Better Miami Coalition, which includes a broad range of labor unions, community organizations, and faith leaders. The coalition is calling for immediate action to protect workers, including the implementation of stronger workplace safety standards, enforcement of existing wage and labor laws, and the creation of a dedicated task force to investigate workplace abuses.

Participating groups include SEIU Florida, Laborers’ International Union of North America, South Florida AFL-CIO, the Miami Workers Center, and Catalyst Miami, all of which are united in their call for reform.

Working in extreme heat

The coalition’s efforts come amid growing concerns about the impact of extreme heat on workers in the region. With temperatures in South Florida regularly exceeding 90 degrees, the report stresses the urgent need for regulations that address heat-related illnesses and injuries, which disproportionately affect outdoor laborers.

“As part of my work, I place columns in every floor, I work in full glare of the sun,” carpenter Luciano said in the report. “Working in extreme heat, you get exhausted a lot faster. [Employers] shouldn’t be able to put pressure on you when there is extreme heat, it is very dangerous.” 

Luciano said extreme heat can fog up glasses that workers are required to wear and that workers should be permitted more frequent breaks.

“In the summer is when I have seen the most accidents,” he said.

Miami-Dade County’s outdoor worker activists with WeCount! had been organizing for the nation’s first county-wide heat standard since 2017. The coalition of workers officially launched their ¡Qué Calor! campaign in 2021 and came close to getting the Board of County Commissioners to approve the proposed heat standard in September. But by November, commissioners buckled under lobbyist pressure, and the final vote was postponed until March 2024 in the hopes of gaining support. 

Less than a week later, state Rep. Tiffany Esposito filed House Bill 433, which was designed to prevent cities and counties across Florida from enacting workplace heat standards. The bill was passed on March 8, just weeks before Miami-Dade County was set to determine the local decision.  

The Build a Better Miami Coalition is calling for lawmakers and industry leaders to take immediate action to address these pressing issues and ensure the protection of the thousands of workers who contribute to South Florida’s development.

The coalition plans to continue its advocacy efforts, with a focus on pushing for stronger state and local regulations, enforcement of labor laws, and improved working conditions across the construction industry. As part of the ongoing campaign, workers and activists will hold rallies and press conferences in the coming weeks to maintain public pressure on policymakers.

“I hope that people can support our fight for what is fair, for fair wages and protections for construction workers,” said Carlos.