A construction company employee fell to his death Thursday at downtown San Jose’s Silvery Towers, a highrise project already tainted by claims of wage theft and slavery.
Cal OSHA launched an investigation into the 643-unit twin-tower apartment complex at 188 W. St. James St., where work has been suspended until next week. According to the Mercury News, the decedent worked for Swinerton Builders, a consultant hired by China-based project developers Full Power Properties.
Full Power, Swinerton and the project’s contractor, FPC Builders, are working with Cal OSHA to find out what caused the man’s death. In a statement to the Merc, Swinerton officials said the death was unrelated to construction.
The Silvery Towers have grappled with delays and bad press since a federal investigation last year resulted in the arrest of a subcontractor, Nobilis Construction CEO Job Torres Hernandez, on suspicion of human trafficking. The U.S. Department of Labor then got Full Power to pay $250,000 in back wages to 22 workers.
The wage theft judgment announced last month prompted trade unions to demand that Santa Clara County adopt stricter laws to weed out unscrupulous developers. The Santa Clara and San Benito Counties Building and Trades Association held a rally last week outside the Silvery Towers site to put the pressure on county and city leaders and to rechristen the project as “Slavery Towers.”
There will be a lot of finger pointing, so perhaps “single source” this type of project. Rather than have destructive, rapacious Chinese companies, incompetent public officials and greedy unionists run this thing maybe it would be best for all concerned to bring in the Mafia, let them handle the whole thing:. Materials, labor- the entire thing – – On time, on budget and no complaints.
Greedy unionist? Educate yourself before you look stupid on a public forum.
> Greedy unionist? Educate yourself before you look stupid on a public forum.
If greedy unions want to claim that they represent the public interest, then the public needs to vote in union elections.
It appears. the wrong windows got ordered and the building got delayed a year. It also appears that our city council member and mayor dodged this by covering it up so they could run un opposed in the primary and thus lock in their positions as elected officials. this is ronzo gonzo all over again. just sickening that we have modern day slavery going on and these guys pat themselves on the back about google and housing starts. complete idiots running this city. and you know old Doyle the lawyer is laughing all the way to his bank.
Anyone know who to contact regarding the shutdown that was ordered during the fatal fall investigation? I live across the street and have pictures showing people working on the top floor during the “supposed” shutdown.