Better construction jobs require more than promises of fair pay and safe conditions: Someone must check that those promises reach workers on the job site. In Texas, the Better Builder program combines worker-designed standards with regular, independent monitoring to address wage theft, unsafe work, and gaps in basic protections.
Led by the Workers Defense Project, the program asks participating developers and contractors to meet standards for wages, safety training, protective equipment, paid rest breaks, and workers’ compensation coverage. It also encourages the hiring of workers enrolled in or graduating from apprenticeship and bilingual trades-training programs. Public purchasing requirements and incentives for private developers have helped bring the approach to projects in Austin and Travis County.
Independent monitors visit sites every two weeks, interview workers in English and Spanish, and follow up when problems arise. Those conversations can uncover missing pay or training while helping workers understand the protections they should receive. Program tracking credits Better Builder with reaching about 65,000 workers and recovering roughly $183,000 in wages. These are reported program results, not estimates from a controlled evaluation.
The practical lesson is that standards need enforcement, clear communication, and worker input. Contractors need to understand expectations before bidding, and monitors need reliable ways to resolve problems with developers and subcontractors. For colleges, local governments, and workforce partners investing in construction or trades training, the model connects preparation for work with the quality of the jobs people enter.