“It’s All About Choices”

     That’s what Sunrise Senior Living claims, but actions speak louder than words.

        Sunrise Senior Living claims they are “built around values”, but their new facility being built at 87th & Lackman Rd. reflects their “real” values.  Sunrise Senior Living has hired SM Wilson, a general contractor from St. Louis to build their new facility in Lenexa. 

SM Wilson has hired an unscrupulous subcontractor from New Jersey to frame the building and hang the drywall.  This contractor has misclassified their employees as independent subcontractors to avoid paying Social Security taxes, unemployment insurance, and workmans’ compensation insurance.  This contractor has also cheated workers out of overtime pay, and provides little if anything in the way of health or retirement benefits.

Why would SM Wilson use such a subcontractor?  According to Rob Warner, project manager, to save $75,000.  You would think that Sunrise Senior Living, who is spending an estimated $9.4 million on this new facility, and whose business is built on Seniors who can retire with dignity, would wish to see these workers be able to retire with dignity one day too!

Please call Scott Wilson with SM Wilson at 314-568-5700 and Sunrise Senior Living at 1-888-4DIGNITY and tell them we don’t want these unscrupulous contractors working in our community!

Update!

The injured worker was working for a subcontractor of a subcontractor.  According to the foreman for Bordner Siding (the siding subcontractor), the worker, an immigrant from Guatemala, was working for their subcontractor L & M Contracting.  The Bordner foreman also claimed "These guys are all independent subs, working by the foot".  Marvin Leiba the owner of L & M Contracting told organizers that the injured worker is doing great and should be able to return to work within two weeks despite his serious abdominal wound.  Marvin Leiba, himself an immigrant from Guatemala, now here legally, told organizers that all of his men on that project are being "1099-ed".  When asked by organizers if the hospital bills of the injured worker will be covered by workmans' compensation he responded "Yes, we told him what to say to make sure the work-comp people would pay his bills".  When asked to show organizers where exactly the injured worker fell, his co-workers pointed to a spot on the northwest corner of the building.  The workers asked to not be included in the photo.  According to the superintendent for SM Wilson, as of July 28th, the injured worker has not returned to the jobsite.