Republicans on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee are calling on the Federal Communications Commission to investigate Houston-based CPA Network, which they say is the nation’s largest network of independent contractor workers and is one of the largest in the country.
“The Houston Cpa Network is the largest network in the world, and its failure to pay workers fairly or in accordance with the law is unacceptable,” the senators wrote in a letter Monday.
“It is clear that CPA’s failure to comply with federal law is the primary reason CPA has not paid employees fairly or within the applicable wage, overtime, and working time protections.
The Houston Cpwn network has failed to provide employees with the minimum wage, paid time off, and other benefits mandated by law.
It is also clear that these protections are not adequate to protect the health and safety of employees, the public, or the environment.”
The letter also calls for the FCC to investigate the network’s hiring practices and claims that Cparnet has been unable to pay its workers for several years.
“We are concerned that Houston Cpenet’s failure is not only a matter of corporate greed but also a violation of federal labor law, and the FCC should take appropriate action to address it,” the lawmakers wrote.
The senators’ letter follows a similar one sent by Sens.
Ted Cruz (R-TX), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D/OR), and Amy Klobuchar (D, MN).
“We call on the FCC and the Department of Labor to investigate Cpenetrans Networks failure to make fair wages and conditions for its workers and the public,” they wrote.
“As the only network in Houston, Houston Cpdns network should not be able to operate with impunity.”
The Houston-area network employs about 1,000 workers, and Cpynn is one the largest independent contractors in the United States.
Cpennet is not the only one in Houston who has been targeted by Democrats.
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives voted to repeal a law that gave workers at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce a collective bargaining rights equal to that of the American public employees, which critics said was designed to keep corporate lobbyists from having an undue influence over public policy.
“There is no evidence that Cpeneters Network, like any other independent contractor, pays its employees fairly,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D–TN) said in a statement at the time.
“In fact, the Houston Cpnnt network is one among many that provide an outsized and unfair competitive advantage to companies like Cpenettars Network.”
The bill was approved by the Senate on April 1, but was subsequently shelved by President Donald Trump.
The FCC has been under fire for failing to investigate allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse at Cpornet and other network companies.
Earlier in May, The Hill reported that the FCC had been investigating Cpeneter Networks and was reviewing a complaint from a former Cpenna employee.
The investigation is expected to be completed by the end of the month.