The American construction company Caddell Construction has formally undertaken to pay €30.941 million ($35.24 million) as part of an investigation into the alleged exploitation of workers at the construction site of the new U.S. consulate in Milan. This is evidenced by a document reviewed by Reuters, reports UNN.
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The Alabama-based construction giant undertook to pay workers nearly €20 million in overtime, reimbursement of accommodation expenses, and compensation for non-pecuniary damage, according to a document filed by the firm with the Milan Prosecutor’s Office. At the same time, the company did not admit guilt.
In a statement released in June, Caddell said it was actively cooperating with judicial authorities and "strives to treat workers fairly and pay them properly."
The company specializes in large-scale projects, including contracts for U.S. embassies and military facilities.
The Italian unit of Caddell Construction was placed under investigation on suspicion of worker exploitation, and on May 29 it was placed under court administration—a decision that the judge confirmed two weeks later.
The Milan Prosecutor’s Office and Italian Carabinieri accused the company of hiring workers in India through an intermediary in New Delhi and engaging them to work in the form of "exhausting shifts, with low pay, without adequate safety equipment, and under the constant threat of dismissal."
The company also agreed to pay more than €7 million to Italy’s social security agency (INPS) and nearly €4 million to the Labour Inspectorate, as stated in the document.
In a letter to the Milan Prosecutor’s Office signed by Caddell Construction head Michael Angelo Ranieri, which was reviewed by Reuters, the American company emphasized that these undertakings did not constitute an admission of any wrongdoing.
"Furthermore, they do not imply agreement with the legal and factual assessments provided by the relevant authorities," the company added.