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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Construction workers and members of the Build a |
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Better Texas Coalition are gathering in Austin on March 1, 2017, to |
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promote workplace safety in the construction industry; and |
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WHEREAS, The construction industry plays a significant role |
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in the Texas economy, with nearly one million Texans laboring in |
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construction and generating $1 out of every $20 in the economy; and |
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WHEREAS, Workplace safety in Texas is a serious issue; more |
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construction workers die as a result of workplace accidents or |
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conditions in Texas than in any other state; from 2012 to 2015, 452 |
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construction workers lost their lives on the job, nearly twice as |
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many as in the state with the next highest number of deaths; in |
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addition, one in every five construction workers in the state |
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suffers an injury on the job that requires medical attention; and |
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WHEREAS, Low wages and legal violations like wage theft and |
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payroll fraud are common, with 41 percent of the workforce |
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misclassified as independent contractors and one out of five |
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workers falling victim to wage theft, further imperiling the |
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economic stability of working families; and |
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WHEREAS, Whenever employers in the industry fail to abide by |
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the law, they decrease the ability of responsible businesses to |
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compete, put the physical safety of their workers at risk, and force |
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taxpayers to pick up costs resulting from their illegal practices; |
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the Build a Better Texas Coalition is a group of businesses, |
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community organizations, faith-based groups, and individuals who |
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seek to foster workplace safety and to level the playing field for |
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responsible businesses; and |
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WHEREAS, Components of a proactive industry approach to |
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worker safety include providing a safe workplace, adequate safety |
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training and rest breaks, and workers' compensation insurance, |
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which ensures that both workers and employers are protected in the |
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event of a workplace accident; and |
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WHEREAS, A strong and sustainable construction industry is |
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essential to the economic prosperity of the Lone Star State, and |
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such an industry is fostered by safe workplace practices and fair |
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pay; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 1, 2017, as the Day of the Fallen |
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in memory of the thousands of Texans who have died in |
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construction-related accidents and call on leaders in the |
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construction industry to uphold the highest standards of workplace |
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safety; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the Build a Better Texas Coalition to commemorate the |
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Day of the Fallen. |