 WORK HARD. PLAY HARD.
The year seems to be speeding by, and we're getting much accomplished. Our focus is on positioning our clients to win work and have launched a campaign to promote responsible contracting. We're hearing good things about it.
We also continue to uncover significant dollars lost through wage theft and create positive publicity for our clients. We are proud to be making a difference in the lives of working families and look forward to sharing more of our wins this year.
Israel G. Torres
Managing Partner
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RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTOR POLICY: Promoting fairness, boosting economy
Torres Consulting and Law Group is working with its clients to promote a Responsible Contractor Policy for public works projects.
A Responsible Contractor Policy offers guidance for quality and dependable construction, and it promotes fairness for taxpayers, workers and contractors so projects are completed on time, on budget, safely and with skill.
Implementing a policy simply provides safeguards so that contractors awarded work meet minimum requirements of local, state and federal laws. Adopting a policy establishes a basic set of qualifications for contractors on projects.
Contractor and sub-contractor qualifications may include: - Fully licensed and bonded
- Employ workers trained through a state-approved apprenticeship
- Provide OSHA training
- No wage/hour violations during the last three years
- No defaults on projects during the last three years
- Provide employees access to healthcare and retirement plans
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 TORRES LAW GROUP: Portfolio includes labor and employment law
Torres Law Group now also provides legal advice on compliance with Department of Labor regulations on union elections, including improper use of social media. The firm also represents employees, who have been wrongly terminated, especially those covered by whistleblower protections.
Associate Attorney Saman Golestan recently joined the firm to address employment and labor legal issues and assist with election and political law. He rounds out a highly respected team of attorneys:
- Israel Torres, the former director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and member of former Gov. Janet Napolitano's cabinet, founded the firm. He focuses on labor law and government relations.
- Jim Barton, a former Arizona assistant attorney general, leads the firm's political law practice that includes formation and operation advice for political action committees, election law litigation and lobbying.
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 COMPLIANCE NEWS: Tempe Mechanical consents to debarment
Torres Consulting and Law Group (TCLG) has confirmed through the Department of Labor (DOL) that AWY Holdings, dba Tempe Mechanical, consented to a three-year debarment due to $114,524.40 in wage theft.
DOL identified the wage theft in Arizona, and TCLG's diligent research assisted the case with proof of wage theft by Tempe Mechanical in New Mexico. The combination of the two states helped strengthen DOL's case showing violations of the Davis Bacon Act and Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act.
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 CLIENT NEWS: TCLG welcomes new compliance clients
The firm added Plumbers and Steamfitters UA Local 773, based in South Glen Falls, N.Y. TCLG will be conducting compliance monitoring services on various state and federal construction projects to ensure workers are fairly paid.
TCLG also welcomes UA Local 412 Plumbers and Pipefitters, which covers New Mexico and the El Paso region in Texas. The firm will provide prevailing wage compliance on public works projects.
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 TCLG GROWS: Adds PR, GR experts
TCLG welcomed two new employees to the firm: Public Affairs Director Shannon Reed and Government Relations Specialist Patty Camacho. Reed is a public-relations professional with more than 21 years of experience in public affairs, community relations and public involvement. As public affairs director, she leads a team of professionals developing strategic communications and marketing plans. Her background includes work for government agencies, water and construction, and she has extensive experience in media relations, social media, construction relations, crisis communications and special events. Camacho is experienced in marketing, construction and responsible contracting. As a government relations specialist, she works to develop and track communication plans, build government relations and formulate policy positions on behalf of TCLG clients.
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 LEAGUE OF ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS 2015: Building business opportunities to create jobs
UA Local 469's leadership came to Tucson with a mission to market our skilled labor and encourage responsible contracting in an effort to win work for our members.
The 2015 event attracted about 1,000 key decision makers, including city councilors, city staff and policymakers. These people drive the way business is conducted by cities and towns. This matters because they make it harder or easier for our contractors to win work.
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 THIRD ANNUAL DISNEY TRIP:
TCLG invests in team building
TCLG staff had a blast at the third annual firm outing to Disneyland and California Adventure parks. We're proud to work with a great team of professionals who care about the firm's mission to help working families.
Our leadership believes it's important to invest in our team and reward successes, which is why we took a road trip to Disneyland. We celebrated several client wins and took time to better know each other, which improves team dynamics and helps us work better for you. We returned energized and more committed to serving each other and our clients.
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Torres Consulting and Law Group champions America's working families. TCLG strengthens political relationships, delivers effective communication strategies, builds stronger partnerships, and advances prevailing wage compliance for trade unions and their partners across the country. Our passion and unique expertise makes us a national leader for giving working families a voice.
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