NEWS
Local 79 Members: Help Stop the Giveaway to Rich Developers!
Local 79 is one of several unions that recently publicly supported an organization called UP4NYC. UP4NYC is an organization that advocates for Albany to repair the broken 421-A tax abatement program. Please click here to read the latest article about the UP4NYC campaign and see a video about the issue. For decades, the 421-A tax abatement program has offered large tax breaks to developers to provide an incentive for residential development in New York City, asking [...]
May 12 Rally Against NYSAFAH
On Tuesday, May 12, the (inaptly named) New York State Association for Affordable Housing (NYSAFAH) held their annual conference in New York City. NYSAFAH is an association that, among other things, opposes prevailing wages and transparency about the way in which public subsidies are doled out to NYSAFAH members. Over the past years, media outlets have carried numerous stories about NYSAFAH members being found guilty of millions of dollars in wage theft. Dozens of Local 79 organizers and [...]
Hundreds Join May 12th Rezoning Rally in East New York
On the evening of May 12th, over a hundred Local 79 members were joined by members of other building trades' unions and community organizations at a rally in East New York. The rally, one of a number that have been held in East New York and in other neighborhoods throughout New York City, is part of an ongoing and concerted grassroots campaign related to Mayor Bill de Blasio's plans to rezone a number [...]
Annual Retiree Spring Luncheon at Villa Barone
On the afternoon of May 7, 2015, hundreds of Local 79 retirees gathered at Villa Barone in the Bronx for Local 79’s festive annual Spring Retiree Luncheon. The four-hour event featured food, drink, dancing, and prizes—ranging from food baskets to high-end electronic goods—that were raffled off to the lucky winners. The event is one of many sponsored by Local 79 to recognize retirees for the numerous contributions they have made over the years [...]
Labor Committee for Latin American Advancement Honors Local 79 Business Manager Mike Prohaska
On the evening of Friday, May 8, Local 79 Business Manager received an award at the annual Labor Committee for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) gala. The award was given for Prohaska's contributions to the Latino community and to the Latino members of Local 79. Introduced to thunderous applause by LCLAA Executive Board Member and Local 79 Business Agent Louie Montalvo, Prohaska credited all the Latino members of Local 79 in his [...]
May Day Rally Draws Thousands
Hundreds of Local 79 members joined thousands of workers from various unions to celebrate May Day 2015 with a rally that began outside billionaire Walmart owner Alice Walton's home. After a spirited march, marchers assembled to listen to numerous labor leaders speak from a stage about the continuing struggles of working people in an economy that has seen the largest share of income go to the 1%. Local 79's Business Manager Mike Prohaska delivered a fiery speech to [...]
Construction Workers Attend Memorial Mass
Hundreds of Building and Construction Trades union officials, members, and management, including the leadership and many members of Local 79, gathered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday, April 28 for the seventh annual Construction Workers Memorial Mass.The Mass honored the memories of construction workers killed or injured on the job from April 28 of 2014 through April 28 of 2015. After assembling outside St. Patrick’s, the crowd, most of whom wore hardhats, somberly proceeded inside [...]
IDNYC: Free Identification for All New York City Residents
All Local 79 members and their family members (14 years of age and older) who live in New York City are eligible to get IDNYC, the new, free identification card for all New York City residents. As a government-issued photo identification card, IDNYC secures access to City services that come from having recognized identification. IDNYC benefits every city resident, including the most vulnerable communities—the homeless, youth, the elderly, undocumented immigrants, [...]
Local 79 Members Requested to Fill Out Childcare Survey
In an effort to understand the varied childcare needs of Local 79 members, Local 79 is working with The Worker Institute at Cornell to carry out an online survey. Local 79 members have received or will receive a letter shortly explaining the importance of the survey and encouraging members to spend the time necessary to fill out the survey. All information provided on the survey is completely confidential. The easiest way to access the survey [...]
9/11 Memorial Museum to Offer Special Event For Rescue and Recovery Workers
From 4:00 p.m. until midnight on Thursday, May 28, the 9/11 Memorial Museum will be reserved for the 9/11 rescue and recovery worker community. A special tribute, including a moment of silence for those who lost their lives to 9/11-related illnesses, will take place at 6:00 p.m. in Foundation Hall. Additional offerings will also be provided on May 29 and 30 to mark the 13th anniversary of the end of the historic recovery [...]
WE
BUILD
NEW YORK
LOCAL 79
We’re Fighting for the Future of New York City Construction
