NEWS
New, Updated Information Available for Victims of 9/11 Attacks
To mark the 15th anniversary of 9/11, The New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NYCOSH’s) #health4heroes outreach campaign is coordinating outreach and education efforts by partnering with labor and community organizations in order to ensure that more workers are fully informed about the services provided by the World Trade Center Health Program and Victim Compensation Fund. If you believe your health was impacted by the WTC disaster, you may be eligible for free [...]
Local 79 Members Commemorate Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
On March 23, dozens of Local 79 members joined hundreds of other union members, members of community organizations and elementary school students to commemorate the 115th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. The fire, which occurred in 1911, killed 145 garment workers who were unable to escape the burning factory due to locked exit doors and other unsafe conditions. The fire resulted in a series of laws that improved fire [...]
Local 79 Members Can Now Pay Dues Online and Re-Register for the OWL
Local 79 is happy to announce the launch of eLocal, which provides members with the ability to pay their dues online, as well as check their course history, certificates, participation history, and update their personal information. All Local 79 members received a letter with detailed instructions and an individual "access code" with information which will allow them to create a secure account online. "This represents a huge step forward for Local 79," said Local 79 Business [...]
Construction Workers Memorial Mass
All Local 79 members and their families are cordially invited to join with Building and Construction Trades union officials, members, and management at a memorial mass for construction workers killed and injured on job sites in 2015 and early 2016. Date: Thursday, April 28, 2016 Time: 2:45: Hardhat Procession into St. Patrick’s; 3:00 pm Memorial Service Place: St. Patrick's Cathedral (51st and 5th Avenue) PLEASE WEAR YOUR HARDHAT After the [...]
Urgent Message for Local 79 Members Employed By Turner Construction in 2015
Turner Construction has informed Local 79 that it has suffered a data breach and, as a result, personal information of employees that worked for the company in 2015 has been compromised. It takes full responsibility for the disclosure, which was the result of human error. Turner urges its employees to carry out the following steps: Subscribe to a service such as Experian, LifeLock, Identity Guard or similar service to obtain credit [...]
Felicia Mcintosh is Local 79’s 2015 Woman of the Year
At Local 79's March 2nd general membership meeting, Local 79 member Felicia Mcintosh was honored as Local 79's 2015 Woman of the Year. In his remarks, Business Manager Mike Prohaska noted that Ms. Mcintosh was given this award for a number of reasons, including the fact that she had never refused a job since 2000, had always attended union meetings, and had showed her support for the union by going to [...]
Local 79 Members Rally for Truly Affordable Housing
On February 23, nearly one hundred members of Local 79 rallied at City Hall Park alongside hundreds of members of Real Affordability for All (RAFA), a broad-based coalition that is opposed to Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan. Numerous speakers, including Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council, protested the Mayor’s plan to rezone a number of neighborhoods in New York. His plan, which includes a provision [...]
Free Tax Preparation Services for Local 79 Members
According to a survey, many Local 79 members said they spent $200 or more to have someone prepare their taxes. Members may be able to avoid tax preparation fees if they fit into one of the categories below. In general, if you earned less than $54,000 in 2015, you can receive free assistance preparing your tax returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Note that these services do not cover [...]
MLK Day: Local 79 Apprentices Volunteer to Clean Up Wetlands
January 18 was a bitter cold and windy day near the shore, but this did not deter Local 79 apprentices-in-training and staff members from Local 79 and LECET from carrying out a service project at Idlewild Park Preserve in Queens.The service project, organized by the New York City Parks Department, involved removing all manner of debris--tires, discarded rugs and furniture, building materials, and mountains of bottles, cans, and trash--from sensitive wetlands The volunteers also [...]
Local 79: New Prescription Drug Benefit Manager
Beginning January 1, 2016, OptumRx became the new prescription drug benefit manager for Local 79 members who are eligible for healthcare benefits. The change from Aetna Rx to OptumRx was explained fully in a letter sent to Local 79 members in November of 2015. The key points are as follows: New OptumRx prescription ID cards were mailed to you in 2015 and should be used for all prescription drug purchases after January [...]
WE
BUILD
NEW YORK
LOCAL 79
We’re Fighting for the Future of New York City Construction
