In the past two years, thirty city construction workers have passed away as a result of work-related accidents. It goes without saying, even one life lost is one too much. Gary Labarbera, President of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, wrote an article for Daily News New York that supported the bill proposed by three New York City leaders to protect construction workers. “Housing and Building Committee Chair Jumaane Williams and Councilmember Carlos Menchaca have submitted a bill, with the support of Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, that would promote worker safety by requiring that construction workers have such skills and training.”, said President Labarbera to Daily News New York. As the saying goes, knowledge is power and union construction workers are thoroughly trained through NYSDOL-approved programs. The bill, if passed, will call for a more thorough training of both union and non-union workers. Labarbera also stressed a NYCOSH study released in January determined that the quickly growing percentage of minority workers face a statistical likelihood of getting injured or killed on a worksite. He added that the study found that Latinos were the most at risk for work injury or fatality. Although painting a picture that correlated work injuries with non-union worksites, that minorities were more likely to get injured than their non-minority counterparts, and that statistics proved that the numbers of minority workers jumped 70% in a 10 year period, no mention was made about the type of worker that was on either type of worksite. This was most likely because, in the bigger picture of what the bill intends to do, the worker and work site isn’t in question. The bill advocates for worker and worksite protection, period. “As unionized construction workers supporting this Council bill, we are proud to stand as advocates on behalf of the sector’s entire workforce, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender and union or non-union status.”, Labarbera proclaimed in the article for Daily News New York.

Just a few days prior to Labarbera contributing his article to Daily News New York, a number of officials from the NYC Housing Authority released statements against the bill, reasoning that it would strip jobs from non-union construction firms, among other issues addressed.

Please see the articles below for more information.

City Council can protect NYC workers from construction accidents by mandating better training

NYC Buildings Department opposes bill requiring training program for construction workers

NYCHA tenants fear apprentice plan would create less diverse construction workforce