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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Justice Favor, Union Member from Local 79, on Construction Justice and Affordable Housing
1:20:13
·
3 min
Justice Favor, a Local 79 union member, testifies on behalf of construction workers in the affordable housing industry, advocating for fair wages and the Construction Justice Act. He argues that a $40/hour minimum compensation package for workers is both morally and economically feasible, citing successful projects that have already implemented this standard.
- Favor highlights the current issue of construction workers being paid as little as $17/hour, making it impossible for them to afford living in the city they're building.
- He provides examples of 100% affordable housing projects where Local 79 members have worked while receiving the $40/hour compensation package.
- The testimony emphasizes the importance of the Construction Justice Act in ensuring fair wages for all construction workers on city-financed developments.
Justice Favor
1:20:13
Good afternoon.
1:20:13
My name is Justice Favor.
1:20:16
Thank you, Cheah, and committee members for the opportunity to testify today on behalf of thousands of construction workers in the affordable housing industry.
1:20:24
I'm a proud local 79 member and work in construction, including nonunion for well over a decade.
1:20:30
I was born and raised in public housing and I improved that a $40 wage and benefit package can transform your life and the lives of others around you like it did me and my family.
1:20:41
Today is not about me though.
1:20:43
Today is about making sure our city has construction justice so that low income New York is like the people I grew up grew up with have access to family sustaining wages.
1:20:53
And affordable housing.
1:20:55
All communities are being harmed by some bad actors in the affordable housing industry who take government subsidies and pay construction workers poverty wages.
1:21:05
Labor's on these affordable housing projects are mainly black and brown.
1:21:09
They are paid as little as $17 an hour by greedy irresponsible contractors who are only making our housing crisis worse.
1:21:17
In a typical year, a $17,000 construction labor is working person making less than 29,000 a year because we don't give regular hours.
1:21:27
Earned in 30% of that average medium income means you can only afford 800 in rent.
1:21:34
So these laborers that build affordable housing can't afford to live in a city that they are building.
1:21:39
That's unacceptable.
1:21:42
So a $40 a $40 minimum package for construction workers who build affordable housing in our city is both morally and economically feasible.
1:21:52
I'm tired of hearing anyone that says say adjust wage is impossible.
1:21:56
We are already doing it.
1:21:58
Since 2021, local 79 members have worked on a 100% affordable.
1:22:03
City finance projects that have created nearly 3000 new apartments while paying a $40 an hour compensation package.
1:22:10
We also have a pipeline of more than 6000 affordable units.
1:22:15
These projects prove that a standard for construction workers and more affordable housing go together, but we can't rely on the market alone.
1:22:23
To guarantee a fair wage for all construction workers on city finance development.
1:22:27
Recent affordable projects with this package for construction laborers include Bronx Pointe and the South Bronx, Sundarro Verde in East Harlem, and 326 Rockaway Avenue in Brownsville.
1:22:38
These projects are creating deep deeply affordable housing and family sustaining families sustaining careers for local construction work as formally incarcerated folks, women and immigrants.
1:22:49
That's why we need the Construction Justice Act.
1:22:52
It will ensure that all construction workers who bill city subsidized affordable housing re receive the same $40 an hour minimum compensation package.
1:23:01
If we want the city to be of yes for affordable housing, we also have to be a city of yes for the workers who build it.
1:23:08
Thank you.
1:23:09
That's that's why urged the city council to pass the construction justice act.
1:23:13
Thank you.