Bronx, NY – On September 17, 2027 – LIUNA Local 79 led a demonstration of labor, and community organizations in the Bronx demanding stronger City action to protect construction workers from low-road labor brokers on publicly funded housing projects.
“Affordable housing should create good jobs, not serve as a race to the bottom for the people building it,” said Anthony Vita, Business Manager of LIUNA Local 79. “These workers deserve fair pay and safe conditions on the job. If the City is helping fund a project, it should make sure the people doing the work are being treated fairly.”
The rally taking place in front of 625 Brook Avenue in the Bronx was joined by Council Member Justin Sanchez and LaborPress as well as LIUNA Eastern Region, the Mason Tenders District Council, community representatives and clergy.
This September 17th action came one month after Marin & Apex workers spoke out at a NYC funded affordable housing project in Brooklyn about alleged exploitation and retaliation on the job. At the Brooklyn rally, workers and advocates again called on City officials to crack down on the use of low-road labor brokers on affordable housing projects receiving public funding. This important ongoing campaign continues to draw support from legislators, community organizations and unions.
“When our city builds affordable housing, we are creating opportunity and pathways to success, not pathways to exploitation,” said Council Member Justin E. Sanchez. “When local government signs off on a deal to give developers money to building housing, we do so with the expectation that the people building the homes are earning a fair wage and benefits. The City Council passed the Construction Justice Act to ensure public dollars create both affordable homes and quality careers, and we will hold developers, contractors, and city agencies accountable for making that promise a reality.”
Workers from Marin & Apex Labor Solutions are currently employed at this affordable housing construction site in the Bronx. This rally to support workers in the construction industry, is one of many taking place in a growing effort to urge City officials to close loopholes that allow low-road labor brokers to evade accountability on taxpayer-funded affordable housing projects.
“The City is putting billions of taxpayer dollars into affordable housing, and we have to make sure the workers building it are not being taken advantage of,” said Dave Bolger, Business Manager of the Mason Tenders’ District Council. “Developers and contractors need to be accountable for every worker on their sites, including workers supplied through labor brokers. If public money is paying for the project, New York City has to make sure that workers are protected.”
