Building on the Past: Identifying the Historical Trends that Shaped New York City Unions
[Thesis]
Mihalik, Jarred
Hajj, Mohammad
Stevens Institute of Technology
2019
67 p.
Master's
Stevens Institute of Technology
2019
Even before the passage of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, the men and women of New York City responsible for constructing its constantly changing skyline associated with each other in order to take advantage of their strength in numbers and the resulting collective bargaining power. Throughout the last century, construction labor unions in New York City have endured a series of challenges including recessions, organized crime, and racial animosity. More recently, the increase in the use of non-union workers on urban construction projects has posed a threat to the virtual monopoly that unions previously held on high rise commercial and residential construction. New York City unions have reacted to these challenges with strategies including legal challenges and protests, but the way forward for unions remains a hotly debated topic. This thesis will examine the history of the construction unions in New York City and the emergence of some key issues facing them during the twentieth century. The methodology includes a case study analysis that supports hypotheses addressing how New York City unions have arrived at their current state, most specifically the circumstances regarding the involvement of union trades in building the largest private New York City development project to date: Hudson Yards. It will detail the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the structure of the unionized building trades. By analyzing the history of New York City unions and their relationship with the city, this thesis will identify how current labor struggles, as exemplified by the legal battles at Hudson Yards, are a product of historical antecedents.