New York, NY – The New York State Iron Workers District Council and the Bricklayers Local 1 endorse New York City Council Member Ben Kallos for Manhattan Borough President. With today’s announcement, Kallos has been endorsed by 32 New York City district councils and local unions for Manhattan Borough President.
“When a developer took government subsidies only to go "open shop" leaving iron workers out, Council Member Ben Kallos joined us in fighting for good paying jobs and safe construction. When the developer threatened Kallos politically, we had his back, and he wrote a piece for local media calling on the developer to protect workers and residents with proper training. When the developer threatened to sue Kallos, then sent a cease and desist, he went even further by citing OSHA violations and recounting the lives lost on prior construction by the builder, demanding training and protections for workers,” said James Mahoney President of the New York State Iron Workers District Council. “The Iron Workers District Council and its [local] unions endorse Council Member Ben Kallos for Manhattan Borough President because we need more elected officials who will stand up to anyone when it comes to doing what's right for our brothers and sisters in labor.”
“We endorse Ben Kallos for Manhattan Borough President because he knows how important the skilled craftworkers in the masonry trades are to building and maintaining our city. We know Kallos appreciates the depth and rigor of our members' training and skills because he saw it first hand at our training center. He was even willing to pick up a trowel and lay some brick and put on a harness and get up on a suspended scaffold,” said Jerry Sullivan, President of International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1, NY. “As a Council Member Kallos pushed for more worker training along with better wages and benefits on city subsidized jobs and we know he will continue to do so as the next Manhattan Borough President.”
“Iron workers and Bricklayers together have built our city from the most iconic landmarks to the housing and offices in which we live in work,” said Council Member Ben Kallos. “I have joined with the Iron Workers and Bricklayers in standing up for construction safety through training and better wages. It would be my honor to continue representing them and working families throughout our city.”
The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Union, AFL-CIO (IW), is a proud trade association whose beginnings go back to the 1890s. The IW represents 120,000 members in North America. Members of our union have worked on nearly every major construction project you can think of - the Golden Gate Bridge, the Sears Tower, the St. Louis Arch, the Oil Sands Plant Expansion in Alberta, the World Trade Center and Freedom Tower. We represent ironworkers who work on bridges, structural steel, ornamental, architectural, and miscellaneous metals, rebar and in shops. Across North America, we build.
New York City Iron Workers District Council locals:
- Local 40 – New York, NY
- Local 46 – Metallic Lathers– New York, NY
- Local 197 – Stone Derrickmen & Riggers – New York, NY
- Local 361 – Brooklyn, NY
- Local 580 – Ornamental – New York, NY
New York State Iron Workers District Council locals:
- Local 6 – Buffalo, NY
- Local 9 – Niagara Falls, NY
- Local 12 – Albany, NY
- Local 33 – Rochester, NY
- Local 60 – Syracuse, NY
- Local 417 – Newburgh, NY
- Local 440 – Utica, NY
- Local 470 – Jamestown, NY
- Local 576 – Buffalo, NY
- Local 824 – Gouverneur
With unparalleled training, skill and pride in their work, members of the BAC Local 1 NY have built and restored some of the most iconic buildings in New York City and Long Island including the Empire State Building, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Chrysler Building, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Grand Central Terminal, Yankee Stadium, Citi Field and the World Trade Center Memorial. We continue to build as our predecessors did – laying block and brick, setting stone, plastering, pointing, caulking and cleaning – with individual units of material, piece by piece to created a tight, masterful and lasting structure. BAC Local 1 NY has a comprehensive apprenticeship training program and a pool of highly motivated, skilled craftworkers to keep any project – no matter how complex – on track. Contractors know that with union workers, safety always comes first and all BAC workers have met extensive background checks.
Ben Kallos, is a Democrat and Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus who has distinguished in his unwavering support for working families who have organized into labor unions. As a legislator, Kallos authored the law to count every injury and life lost on a construction site with steep fines for disreputable contractors that would hide injuries on the job (Local Law 78 of 2017). He was also a co-prime sponsor of laws to require site safety supervisors and safety training on construction sites. Kallos has also carried legislation to require prevailing wage, training, and apprenticeship on city-subsidized construction projects as well as to offer private sector workers to an auto-IRA retirement savings plan.
Kallos’ campaign previously announced the endorsement of 42 unions representing nurses, engineers, laborers, communication workers, and many more. Following the endorsement from New York State Iron Workers District Council and International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1, NY, Kallos has now been endorsed by 60 New York State district councils and local unions 34 of whom represent workers in New York City.
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