Construction workers are scarce

[NewsWhore]

The president of the Association of Housing Promoters and Builders (Acoprovi), Jaime Gonzalez told reporters that foreign workers are displacing Dominicans on most worksites. According to the Hoy newspaper, the Acoprovi executive was answering a complaint voiced by the National Federation of Construction Workers that said that local workers were being replaced by foreigners. Gonzalez said that the locals do not want to work in construction. He said that this is the reason that builders have to use foreign workers. Gonzalez went on to say that nearly 80% of the construction workers in the Dominican Republic are currently foreigners, mostly Haitians that do rough labor and Colombians that work mostly in the finishing area. Gonzalez denied that Haitians work for less than Dominican counterparts. He said that Dominicans are not interested in working construction and said that his association had sent a request to the Ministry of Labor asking for 5,000 construction workers but has never received and reply. According to Gonzalez, construction workers earn 10% more than general employees. He went on to say that foremen can earn up to RD$30,000 per month and an un-skilled worker can earn RD$10,000. Bricklayers and similar workers earn RD$800 per day, a lot more than teachers.

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