NEWS
Huge Rally Demands Stronger Construction Safety Standards
On December 10, Local 79 members joined thousands of members of other Building Trades unions to express their outrage and grief over the 16 deaths that have occurred on New York City construction sites this year. The vast majority of these deaths have occurred on non-union sites, which have lax safety and training standards that imperil the lives of construction workers. Leaders of unions throughout New York City were joined by [...]
Local 79 Joins Other Building Trades to Rally for Union Jobs
On December 3, Local 79 Business Manager Mike Prohaska spoke at a Building Trades rally attended by hundreds of members of Local 79 and other Building Trades unions. The rally was called to demand that New York City real estate developers commit to building union, and that they stop working with non-union contractors who exploit their workers and provide unsafe working conditions, as described in a recent front-page article in [...]
Annual 2015 Retiree Holiday Party Held at Russo’s on the Bay
Hundreds of Local 79 retirees gathered at Russo's on the Bay on Wednesday, December 2 for the 2015 retiree holiday party. The annual party is one of the many ways that Local 79 thanks its retirees for their many years of service. Everyone present enjoyed the company of their fellow members, good food, music, dancing, and dozens of raffle prizes for the lucky winners."This is always one of my favorite holiday parties of the year," [...]
New York Coalition Against Wage Theft Issues Report
The New York Coalition Against Wage Theft, of which Local 79 is a founding member, held a press conference and rally on November 17, 2015 to publicize the publication of the first major report on New York wage theft since 2009. Local 79 members were joined by other Coalition members--Local 78, Local 108, Local 1010, LECET, Make the Road New York, RWDSU, UFCW 1500, CPD, Labor -Religion Coalition, and other community and faith-based groups--to rally in [...]
Right to Work is Wrong!
Message from Business Manager Mike Prohaska to Local 79 Members: I want to alert all members to an important case that is going to be heard before the Supreme Court early next year that, depending on the result, could be devastating to public employees, many of whom are LiUNA members. The case, Friedrichs v. the California Teachers Association, will determine whether all public employment in this country becomes right-to-work. What [...]
Local 79 Members: Ensure Your Future Financial Security!
Beginning in November, Local 79 will start to offer members a series of workshops on issues related to retirement and education saving for your children. The workshops will be provided free of charge by advisors from Wells Fargo and are intended for all members, not only those who are nearing retirement. The workshops will enable members to make informed decisions about their financial future. All workshops are approximately one-hour long [...]
Local 79 Business Manager Mike Prohaska: Bronx Born and Bred
Local 79 has at long last received a copy of Local 79’s Business Manager Mike Prohaska’s fiery speech that he gave at the annual Bronx Democratic Committee gala where he was honored this past July. The event, which was attended by, among others, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Public Advocate Leticia James, is among the most important political events of [...]
Barrie Smith Selected to Join Local 79 Executive Board
Local 79’s Executive Board has selected Barrie Smith, a Business Agent for Laborers’ Local 79, to be an Auditor on Local 79’s Executive Board. A vacancy arose on September 28, 2015, when recently-elected Auditor Dave Moretti submitted his resignation. The Executive Board acted in accordance with Article VI, Section 3, (m) of the LiUNA’s Uniform Local Union Constitution, which permits the Executive Board to fill a vacancy by appointment with [...]
Local 79 Expands Eligibility for Legal Services
Business Manager Mike Prohaska, Secretary-Treasurer George Zecca, and President Kenneth Brancaccio—the Trustees of Local 79's Legal Services Plan—recently announced a change, effective immediately, that expands eligibility for Local 79's Legal Services Plan. Members will now be eligible for a full year of legal services—January 1-December 31—if they have worked a minimum of 700 hours during the eligibility period (defined as November 1 through October 31 of the preceding year.) Another [...]
African American Day Parade Draws a Crowd of Many Thousands
Hundreds of Local 79 members joined a crowd of many thousands for the annual African American Day Parade in Harlem on Sunday, September 20. Members gathered at 113th Street where they received distinctive t-shirts and awaited their turn to march alongside the Local 79 float as it made its way down Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard. Unions and community organizations throughout New York City were represented at the festive parade, [...]
WE
BUILD
NEW YORK
LOCAL 79
We’re Fighting for the Future of New York City Construction
