Madras builder WCI Construction and its owner, Eugene Graeme, are barred from performing public work in Oregon for 10 years for violating prevailing wage and recordkeeping laws.

The Bureau of Labor and Industries additionally assessed WCI Construction a fine of $20,000 for not paying prevailing wage to all employees, nor maintaining “timely, accurate and complete” payroll records. The violations occurred during the company’s work at Arlington High School in Gilliam County.

The company agreed to make payments to BOLI of $1,000 per month for 20 months, according to the .

The penalties are “a bunch of B.S.,” Graeme told the 91��Ƶ.

“It was a stupid error at a stupid time,” he said.

Graeme stressed his employees were quickly compensated for not receiving prevailing wage. He suspects his real crime is owning a non-union shop that won a large bid over union firms. Union agents then “sat on” his project in Gilliam County, he says, searching for even the smallest mistake to bring to light.

A different Graeme-owned company – though with similar initials – was on BOLI’s debarment list from 2012 to 2015. Wrangler Construction Inc. was also banned for wage and hour violations.

Currently, 52 businesses are on the BOLI list.

Graeme said the ban won’t affect the company much because it doesn’t perform many public projects.

“I don’t want to have any more grief with them,” he said of BOLI.

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