Laborers Union: “Jersey City construction industry  is out of control and workers are paying the price.” 

(JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY) In the shadow of Kushner Companies’ One Journal Square project, leaders from the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) joined with city and county officials in calling for immediate action to reform an under-regulated construction industry in Jersey City and to better protect workers and honest contractors.

The press conference was held outside of the One Journal Square project after a second immigrant construction worker in Jersey City was seriously injured on the job only to be transported by crane in a garbage container by their employer. In both instances, the employer delayed seeking medical treatment and moved the worker without consideration for potential head, neck, and spinal injuries.

“The business practices in local construction have changed over the past few years. Construction sites have become modern-day sweatshops that prey upon vulnerable workers and expose them to dangers and unfair treatment that we would not accept in other industries,” said LIUNA Vice President and Eastern Manager Michael E. Hellstrom. “Not only are workers placed at risk, but the entire industry suffers as standards are lowered and law-abiding contractors have trouble competing with businesses willing to take short-cuts, cheat, and exploit workers to win work.” 

Paul Roldan, LIUNA Local 3 Business Manager, expanded on the issues facing construction workers.  “Because of the transient nature of construction, there is a pass the buck attitude to workplace safety, labor, and wage and hours standards, said Roldan. “There are owners, general contractors, sub-contractors, construction managers, labor brokers, and consultants. When anything bad happens, or when they get caught, all of these groups claim to be absolved from blame and point the finger at someone else.  At best, an offending sub-contractor is released from the job only to work on another project.  Workers pay the price and everyone else gets paid.” 

LIUNA leadership is seeking the support and assistance of city and county government to better regulate, police, and enforce worksite laws on Jersey City projects. Plans are underway for additional high-rise projects valued at approximately $5 billion. Additionally, Jersey City is developing housing at a faster rate than New York City.  On hand to offer support were Hudson County Chief of Staff Craig Guy, and Jersey City Councilpersons Richard Boggiano and James Solomon. All three expressed disgust at the state of construction in Jersey and committed to creating solutions that protect workers.

While OSHA regulates and enforces federal occupational safety and health issues, their resources are limited, and their involvement is usually after the fact.  LIUNA believes city and county government should adopt more proactive policies that improve working conditions, increase enforcement, and, most importantly, reduce or eliminate the rates for injuries and fatalities in construction.
Rev. Carl E. Styles, business manager of the New Jersey Building Laborers District Council, said that serious injuries like that which occurred at LeFrak’s the Wave and Kushner Companies’ One Journal Square only scratch the surface of the problem facing construction workers in Jersey City. “For every tragic story we hear about, there are far more that go unreported, and they go unreported because the contractor or the project owner either doesn’t know the law or has something to hide,” said Styles. “These contractors and developers are either clueless or they are lawless, and neither is an excuse, and neither should be allowed to happen ever again.” 

Hellstrom ended the press conference by urging Jersey City officials to pass an ordinance that would require a qualified, site safety manager on all large construction projects and that all projects must submit to the City a site safety plan that will be implemented on the job.

Recognizing the systematic problems in construction, LIUNA has implemented the Laborers Fight Back campaign to root out corruption and worker exploitation on construction projects in New Jersey. The union is employing dozens of experienced worker organizers who are monitoring projects of all size, meeting with workers, and forwarding any evidence of illegal actions to the appropriate authorities. LIUNA advocates for the rights of all workers.

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The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Eastern Region represents more than 40,000 construction workers in New Jersey, New York City, Long Island, Delaware, and Puerto Rico. LIUNA is at the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build America. Learn more at http://www.liunaeasternregion.org/