10 • September 9, 2021 - September 15, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Union Matters Labor Day present: New Hochul bill addresses employee safety and wage theft By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff
this, being held responsible for ers have been ripped off by State Laborers’ Health & Safety what happens with the subcon- greedy contractors with no- Trust Fund. “Work zone intrutractors. So I’m making sure we where to turn. This legislation sions by speeding drivers occur New York State Gov. Kathy sign that into law as well.” will ensure every construction far too often, and by signing this Hochul gave labor unions a Robert Bonanza, business worker in New York is protected legislation into law, our elected present this week. manager of the Leaders at from wage theft.” officials are taking an enormous The governor signed a package Mason Tenders’ District CounLegislation S.4682-B/A.485- step forward to help ensure of bills to ensure workplace safety cil of Greater New York, stated B (sponsored by New York highway workers return home and prevent wage theft. Hochul’s that his union’s constant lobby- State Assembly Member Latoya safely at night.” new legislation will help establish a speed violation monitoring system at work sites, hold contractors accountable for not paying employees the wages they’re owed, extend Shared Work Benefits while making it mandatory to pay a prevailing wage to service employees at condos and high-end co-ops. Legislation A.3350-A/S.2766C holds contractors on construction projects responsible for wages for employees that should’ve been provided by their subcontractors. Currently, construction contractors aren’t liable for wages of their subcontractors’ employees. The bill goes into effect 120 days after Hochul signs it into law. “What I’m talking about (Photo courtesy of Darren McGee/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul) is there are unscrupulous New legislation package looks to ensure worker safety and prevent wage theft people out there who take advantage of others and do not pay them what they’re enti- ing and advocating had paid off. Joyner and New York State SenDuring the COVID-19 pantled to in defiance of our laws,” “This historic legislation will ator Jamaal Bailey) establishes a demic workers at luxury condos said Hochul during her media end the race to the bottom we’re program that implements speed and co-ops continue to travel briefing on Labor Day. “And in seeing in construction, where violation monitoring systems in from their homes to work in some cases, it’s a subcontrac- contractors subcontract much work zones using photo devic- buildings despite the danger tor on a project. So, we needed of their work to smaller contrac- es, notices of liability and adju- they faced every day. Legislato have accountability. We need tors, absolving them of liability dicates traffic infractions using tion S.6350-A/A.7434-A) reto make sure that those people for stolen or unpaid wages and photo monitoring devices. quires these workers to be paid a are. It’s not their fault if an un- leaving workers with little re“There is no question that the prevailing wage to building serscrupulous subcontractor walks course,” said Bonanza. work zone speed camera legisla- vice employees who work at any off a job or doesn’t pay them New York City District Coun- tion will help keep our highway co-ops and condos that receive what they should or tries to pay cil of Carpenters Executive Sec- workers and New York’s motor- tax abatements under section them under the table. So, our retary-Treasurer Joseph Geiger ists safe,” stated Frank Marchese 467a of the tax law. It applies contractors will be engaged in said, “For years, exploited work- Jr., executive director, New York to all building with the aver-
Bronx and Brooklyn Defenders vote to form a union By STEPHON JOHNSON Amsterdam News Staff
The Bronx and Brooklyn Defender Services achieved a major victory in their desire to unionize. In a 207-83 vote, non-managerial workers voted to join the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) - UAW Local 2325 in its attempt to bargain for what they believe would be a fairer and stronger contract. The news is the culmination of a year-long effort to get colleagues to sign cards indicating their support of organizing workers. “Continuing to organize and unionize workers at public de-
fense offices will only improve the working conditions and the services we provide to our client,” stated Lisa Ohta, president of the Association of the Legal Aid Attorneys - UAW Local 2325. “Five out of the six trial-level public defense offices in New York City have now courageously formed unions to change the playing field for public defenders. We are so excited to welcome the BDS Union as the newest chapter of ALAA.” Rebecca Givan, president of the Rutgers AAUP-AFT representing graduate workers, faculty, postdocs and other at Rutgers University, took to social media expressing her
approval of the vote considering the reputation of the two groups. “People used to talk about Brooklyn Defenders and Bronx Defenders as scabs because they were non-union attorneys doing the same legal aid workers,” tweeted Givan. “Now, they’re all unionized with @bds_union and #BxDUnion!” Not all legal aid divisions have let their workers vote on whether to form a union. Queens Defenders Executive Director Lori Zeno has taken a loud anti-union stance and even fired two people on staff for expressing their desires to join ALAA. Zeno’s group
was formed in the mid-1990s during the Rudolph Giuliani administration. In response to Legal Aid lawyers going on strike at the time, the then mayor handed out contracts to newly-formed non-union public defender services. As recently as last December, Queens Defender staffers signed cards letting Zeno know that they were interested in joining ALAA-UWA Local 232. Zeno and company refused to recognize them. For the Bronx and Brooklyn Defender Services, however, it’s onward towards a new contract. “It is very inspiring to see an overwhelming majority of my
age unit assessed value of more than $60,000 unless these buildings have less than 30 units. The legislation also makes affidavits of these payments accessible to the public should they need to be used in court and allows the State Department of Labor the ability to investigate any allegations of wage theft. “This is a momentous day for over 2,000 building service workers and their families who will finally start earning family-sustaining wages,” said SEIU Local 32BJ President Kyle Bragg. “These luxury apartment buildings can afford to pay workers the prevailing wage, and frontline essential building service workers who risked their lives to keep New Yorkers safe deserve good pay and benefits for New Yorkers in the Shared Work Program put more money in working families’ pockets.” Chris Sanchez, a porter at a luxury building on the West Side of Manhattan, stated that his salary put him in a position where he had to skip some medical emergencies due to finances and hasn’t gone to any checkups the entire pandemic. “There have been many days when I skipped meals just to save a little money,” Sanchez said. “I haven’t seen a doctor in two years because my job doesn’t provide healthcare, and I can’t afford to pay for a health insurance plan. Earning the prevailing wage means I can provide for my family without sacrificing meals, and hopefully I can put some money aside to fulfill my dream of sending my son to college one day.”
colleagues come together to affirm that we can make BDS an even better workplace so that we can even better serve our clients,” Andrew Lyubarsky, attorney in the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project. “This tremendous victory through the collective action of our colleagues across roles and practice areas epitomizes the spirit of public defense— that all of us are needed, that every voice is vital, as we work toward a more just society.” The Brooklyn Defender Services’ Twitter page encapsulated the news in one sentence. “The staff at BDS have spoken!!!”
