10,000 signatures reached
To: Daniel J. Walsh, President of Archer Western, Merrick B. Garland, U.S. Attorney General and Julie Su, Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor
Demand Accountability for Archer Western’s Exploitation of Small, Black-Owned Businesses
For decades, Archer Western has discriminated against and refused to compensate Black subcontractors, construction workers and small businesses owned by service disabled veterans. As one of the largest builders in North America, Archer Western has leveraged its standing to systematically exclude Black subcontractors from the construction industry and threaten those who sound the alarm on its unjust business practices.
We demand that Archer Western:
Conduct a racial equity audit to address systemic bias and discrimination in its business practices, policies and procedures.
Render payments to Black-owned and minority-owned subcontracting companies immediately and in full.
Establish a $25 million Recovery Fund for Black-owned and minority-owned subcontracting companies that have experienced financial hardship due to late or non-payment.
We demand that Merrick B. Garland, U.S. Attorney General and Julie Su, Acting Secretary of Labor:
Launch an investigation of Archer Western’s discriminatory payment practices and audit all federally funded projects involving the corporation.
Recover back wages for Black and minority subcontractors and workers who were denied payment.
Why is this important?
I am Jimmy Dillahunt Jr., and I have owned my construction company in North Carolina for the past 10 years. My family and I have been in the construction business since the early 1970s. I have always viewed this work as a means of building generations of wealth for my family and creating economic mobility for Black people and workers.
Time and again, however, I have been harassed and harmed by multibillion-dollar contractors that have a long history of financially exploiting small, Black-owned businesses. From the legal battles to non-payment, I have lost most of my income to Archer Western, making it increasingly difficult for me to support my family and maintain our livelihoods. I have been unable to cover the cost of my cancer treatments, undergo scheduled medical operations or provide employment opportunities to Black folks in my community. I am not alone. Archer Western has a documented history of late and non-payment to more than 20 of its Black- and minority-led subcontractors, many of whom have been bankrupted.
I have been fighting to stop Archer Western’s financial exploitation of Black- and minority-led subcontractors, but have been met with harassment, intimidation and even “cease and desist” letters. Enough is enough and big corporations like Archer Western should be held accountable.
Daniel Walsh is the President of Archer Western and is directly responsible for the financial exploitation of Black-owned and minority-owned subcontracting companies.
- We demand that Walsh immediately render payment to Black-owned and minority-owned subcontracting companies and conduct a racial equity audit to address bias and discrimination in its business practices.
This the first step in ensuring that subcontractors hired by Archer Western receive compensation, but more is needed to address the systemic exploitation and exclusion of Black subcontractors in the construction industry.
- We demand that U.S. Attorney General, Merrick B. Garland and Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor, Julie Su launch an investigation into Archer Western and issue penalties for discriminatory behavior.
Will you sign my #PayBlackContractors petition to hold Archer Western accountable for paying Black and minority subcontractors what we are owed?