A busload of Local 79 apprentices went to Albany on June 10 to lobby legislators regarding 421-a, the program that provides tax abatement to developers who build residential housing in New York City. Their presence there was part of the UP4NYC campaign, a campaign that has been going on for weeks to make sure any extension of 421-a carries with it new responsibilities for the developers who are getting the tax breaks. The apprentices met with a number of legislators and spoke about the critical importance of amending the legislation to add provisions that a percentage of the units receiving tax abatements will be affordable, and that the labor used to create those affordable units be paid at the prevailing wage. “I am really proud of how many apprentices went to Albany to lobby on this critical issue,” said Local 79 Business Manager Mike Prohaska. “They were articulate in their demands, and spoke with a clear understanding of the issues involved.”