Who’s making sure construction workers on Multnomah County projects aren’t getting cheated by employers? A small team of county workers and a group of sharp-eyed union volunteers.
On most county-funded construction projects of over $50,000, contractors are required to pay workers prevailing wages and benefits. To make sure workers on its projects aren’t getting shorted, the county set up a Labor Compliance Program that sends hard-hatted volunteers to construction sites.
Launched in 2019 and still rebuilding post-pandemic, the program currently has seven volunteers. Most of those volunteers work for local building trades unions. Labor Compliance Officer Patrick Wybert is seeking more volunteers to conduct site visits and interview workers. Workers are asked to fill out a questionnaire. Do they know they’re supposed to be paid prevailing wage? Do they know how much it is? Are required postings displayed on job sites?
“By and large, those folks are really happy to see somebody that’s looking out for them and asking questions and making sure that they’re getting the wages that they’re supposed to be getting on these jobs,” said volunteer Steve Hussey, an organizer with IBEW Local 48.
Visits are made at random, but volunteers can come again if the county hears of violations. If efforts to get an employer to pay up aren’t successful, the county refers violations to the Bureau of Labor and Industries or Construction Contractors Board.
“We rely on our volunteers, not just for their ability to be on site, but for their knowledge,” said Multnomah County supplier diversity officer Maggie Chavez. Because most of the program’s volunteers have construction experience, they notice when something isn’t right, like a tool belt or piece of heavy equipment that doesn’t mesh with how a worker is classified and paid. One common way contractors cheat is to pay the general construction laborer wage rate even when workers do skilled specialty work that’s supposed to be paid at a higher rate.
Each volunteer commits to visit at least one site every six months. In the nine-month period ending March 2025, the program completed 16 site visits and interviewed 37 workers.
New volunteers can partner with Wybert before going out on their own for site visits.
With Multnomah County Library bond projects halfway completed, the county has had far more active construction sites than typical. Since the bond was approved in November 2020, the county has built four new libraries and renovated seven more. Another four new library buildings will be built by the end of 2026.
Besides site visits, county staff also review certified payroll reports in search of violations, like apprentices working without the supervision of a journeyman. Chavez said about 5% of certified payroll reports reviewed by the county last year had some type of violation.
Stepping up to help the county enforce its rules, union volunteers aren’t just protecting their own members.
“Taking everything else out of it, just as a community thing, you want to pay prevailing wage to keep the work with people in the area,” Hussey said. “If you don’t have anybody looking out for that, there’s no shortage of people willing to take advantage to make a buck.”
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