Retooling the construction industry a way to reduce income inequality

Construction industry articles in recent months have noted the growth of non-union construction and the lack of construction jobs for African-Americans, highlighting an important problem that many of us have been trying to address for years.

African-Americans make up 25 percent of the city’s population but hold only 13 percent of construction jobs.

However, of the 8,000 unionized construction-industry apprentice jobs, African-American participation is about 33 percent, with another 33 percent being Latino or Asian — a better rate than construction jobs overall.

To help address the paucity of African-Americans in construction, we created the Construction Skills program, which gives city high-school graduates priority for apprentice programs.

In it, 48 percent of apprentices are African-American and 40 percent are Latino or Asian. All are city residents.

It leads to union apprentice positions — full-time, permanent jobs that supplement on-the-job training with classroom instruction. These lead to full-time journeyperson positions. Some 75 percent of these apprentices live in the city.

A recent Columbia University study of this contractor/labor-sponsored program called it “the best pre-apprentice program in the nation.”

Among the top 10 occupations, only registered nurses earned more than the average starting salary of $34,120, plus benefits, for Construction Skills participants upon graduating from high school.

Industry publications have pointed out that Latinos are employed in larger numbers in construction, often at non-union job sites offering no health benefits, pensions or safety training and equipment.

When we look at the growing skyline and infrastructure, we see new revenue, jobs, quality of life and an entrance to the middle class for thousands of New Yorkers.

48 percent of apprentices in the Construction Skills program are African-American and 40 percent are Latino or Asian. All are city residents.

The Columbia report recommended the mayor convene a summit to expand the number of union construction jobs and increase minority-youth access through these pre-apprentice jobs.

That sounds like a way to reduce income inequality and create good jobs that benefit all New Yorkers.

The Building Trades Employers’ Association consists of 27 unique trade union contractor associations, representing the 1,700 construction managers, general contractors and specialty subcontractor firms in New York City, who employ 120,000 people.

The association’s members range in size from multi-billion dollar internationally recognized firms to small and mid-sized specialty trade contracting firms. Its mission is to advance the interest of New York City Construction Trade Associations and their corporate members, recognizing that a vibrant unionized construction industry is essential to the economic future of New York City.

For more information about Building Trades Employers’ Association,  visit: www.bteany.com/index.html

Source: Real Estate Weekly