{"slug":"polish-workers-trump-tower-construction","title":"Polish Workers at Trump Tower: Undocumented Workers in Dangerous Conditions, Then Stiffed","date":"1980-06-01","lastUpdated":"1998-06-01","description":"The demolition of the Bonwit Teller department store to make way for Trump Tower was performed by approximately 200 undocumented Polish workers — 'Polish Brigade' — who worked in dangerous conditions without hard hats or masks for subminimum wages. When they complained about not being paid, they were threatened with deportation. A lawsuit confirmed Trump knew of the workers' status; the case was settled in 1998 after nearly two decades.","summary":"Trump hired contractor William Kaszycki who used approximately 200 undocumented Polish workers to demolish the Bonwit Teller building for below-minimum wages — approximately $4-5 per hour, no overtime. Workers say they were not provided safety equipment for handling asbestos-laden material. When they complained about nonpayment, a foreman told them to 'get back to work or they'll be reported to immigration.' Trump settled a class action suit in 1998.","category":"civil-rights","severity":"major","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/01/nyregion/illegal-aliens-tied-to-trump-tower.html","title":"Illegal Aliens Tied to Trump Tower","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/11/trumps-history-with-undocumented-workers/","title":"Trump's history with undocumented workers","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/illegal-workers-helped-build-trump-tower-120612","title":"Illegal Polish workers helped build Trump Tower","publisher":"Politico"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/1eabe8af2d0e482b8b9aef3b9ba4aa50","title":"Lawsuit over Trump Tower construction settled after 18 years","publisher":"The Associated Press"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["labor-exploitation","undocumented-workers","pre-presidency","Trump-Tower","wage-theft","immigration"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"1980-06-01","title":"Polish workers hired for demolition","summary":"Contractor William Kaszycki hires approximately 200 undocumented Polish workers — who became known as the 'Polish Brigade' — to demolish the Bonwit Teller department store in Manhattan to make way for Trump Tower. Workers are paid approximately $4-5 per hour, with no overtime, no benefits, and in some cases no payment at all."},{"date":"1980-08-01","title":"Workers complain about nonpayment; threatened with deportation","summary":"When workers complain about not receiving their promised wages, a foreman tells them to 'get back to work or they'll be reported to immigration.' The threat silences complaints."},{"date":"1983-03-01","title":"Lawsuit filed","summary":"Harry Diduck, a union official, files a class action lawsuit alleging that Trump, Kaszycki, and a union local conspired to deprive the workers of benefits and wages. The suit alleges Trump knew the workers were undocumented."},{"date":"1983-10-01","title":"New York Times reports on undocumented workers","summary":"The New York Times reports on the 'illegal aliens' who built Trump Tower — one of the most prominent new buildings in Manhattan — while receiving poverty wages and no safety equipment."},{"date":"1991-01-01","title":"Federal judge finds Trump colluded","summary":"In a ruling in the civil case, a federal judge finds that Trump had colluded with the union local and Kaszycki in a scheme to deprive workers of benefits owed under union contracts. The finding establishes Trump's knowledge of and benefit from the arrangement."},{"date":"1998-06-01","title":"Case settled after 18 years","summary":"The class action is settled for an undisclosed amount — 18 years after the workers built Trump Tower. Trump acknowledges no wrongdoing. Most of the original Polish workers have dispersed or died; some have never been located to receive their share."}],"location":{"name":"Trump Tower construction site, New York, NY","lat":40.7625,"lng":-73.9742},"custom":{"era":"pre-presidency","posture":"judicial-finding","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[{"statute":"International Labour Organization Conventions","article":"ILO Convention No. 29 on Forced Labour","provision":"Forced labor includes work obtained through threat of legal penalty (deportation) — threatening undocumented workers with immigration enforcement to coerce continued unpaid work"},{"statute":"International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights","article":"Article 7","provision":"Right to just and favorable conditions of work, including fair wages and safe working conditions"}],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"Approximately 200 undocumented Polish workers who worked for subminimum wages in dangerous conditions and were not fully paid; workers who were threatened with deportation when they complained","perpetrators":"Donald Trump (knew of workers' undocumented status per court findings; benefited from the arrangement); William Kaszycki (contractor who hired the workers); Daniel Sullivan (intermediary)","structuredVictims":[{"group":"Undocumented Polish demolition workers ('Polish Brigade')","status":"Worked for subminimum wages in unsafe conditions; threatened with deportation when seeking back pay","count":200}],"structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"Real estate developer; owner of the construction project","institution":"Trump Organization"},{"name":"William Kaszycki","role":"Contractor who hired and managed the Polish workers","institution":"Kaszycki & Sons Contractors"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"1998-06-01","summary":"Updated with settlement of the 18-year lawsuit."}]}}