Building Trades Rally In NYC For Stronger Worksite Safety

As members of the City Council met to urge swift passage of legislation that would improve safety at construction sites, demonstrators marched nearby to demand action on the issue. CreditChang W. Lee/The New York Times

Council Bills Seek to Make Construction Less Perilous in New York City

NYC LIUNA members joined thousands of members of other Building Trades unions to express their outrage over the 16 deaths that have occurred on New York City construction sites in 2015.

The demonstration outside of City Hall called attention to the recent increase in construction accidents and to demand a response from the city. Before gathering around City Hall, the workers marched from a non-union site on Nassau Street carrying caskets and wearing black hardhats to symbolize the increase in site fatalities this year.

SUSAN WATTS/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Rally attendees were calling for support of the legislation that would require construction work at buildings 10 stories or higher in New York City be performed by construction workers who have completed mandatory apprentice training.

While making the case for this legislation Building Trades President Gary LaBarbera pointed out that statistics from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration that show 14 of the 16 fatalities this year were on nonunion projects.