English
Español
New York City will always be a union town. Our schools, hospitals, bridges, parks, tunnels, and neighborhoods exist because generations of hardworking people came together to demand fair pay, safe workplaces, and the right to earn a decent living. As Comptroller, my mission will be clear: protect these hard-won gains, and expand union protections and benefits so that more of our workforce can thrive.
I plan to focus on five main initiatives: fixing 224-a, expanding the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), investing in apprenticeship programs, providing new union jobs via our transition to clean energy, and cracking down on employers that skirt fair labor standards.
First, we have to fix what’s broken. If a project receives taxpayer dollars, the workers building it deserve fair wages – no exceptions, no loopholes. That’s the core promise of prevailing wage laws. But right now, Section 224-a of New York’s Labor Law, which sets rules around prevailing wages on publicly supported private projects, includes confusing definitions and overly high thresholds, allowing too many projects to evade paying fair wages.
As Comptroller, I will fight to fix 224-a by lowering the existing thresholds – both the $5 million project cost requirement and the 30% public funding rule – to cover more workers. I’ll also push for clear definitions of what qualifies as public funding, removing ambiguity and making sure all public subsidies trigger prevailing wage protections. Closing these loopholes will ensure that public dollars support good-paying union jobs rather than contributing to low-wage work.
But we can do more than that. We can raise the standard for labor practices citywide. PLAs do exactly that, by establishing transparent, enforceable guidelines for wages, benefits, and safe working conditions on city-funded projects. They ensure union workers receive the protections and compensation they deserve, keep projects on budget, reduce costly delays, and help deliver high-quality results for taxpayers. As Comptroller, I will expand the use of PLAs on city projects, guaranteeing better outcomes for workers and our communities alike.
We also have to be thinking long-term about the next generation of union workers. Right now we have a generation of young people who are worried about whether they’ll be able to stay and build a family in this city. Apprenticeship and training programs run by trade unions can provide these young New Yorkers with the skills they need to build meaningful careers and an express lane to the middle class. I will partner closely with trade unions to grow apprenticeship programs and secure sustainable funding for them, because investing in the next generation isn’t just good for them, it’s good for our overall financial future as a city.
Speaking of our future: we have a huge opportunity to expand union labor via our transition to clean energy, especially in offshore wind. But we must make sure these new jobs are union jobs with fair pay, good benefits, and strong worker protections. Too often, new industries try to cut labor costs at workers’ expense. That won’t happen on my watch. As Comptroller, I’ll push to ensure clean energy projects have robust labor agreements and union protections built in from day one. Because what good is a green city if no one can afford to live here?
Ultimately, none of these commitments matter without strong accountability. We can legislate all day, but it won’t mean anything if there’s no one there to enforce. As Comptroller, I will implement tough oversight mechanisms on all city-funded projects, aggressively cracking down on contractors who underpay workers, misclassify employees, or fail to meet safety standards. Contractors who cheat workers won’t just face fines – they’ll lose access to future city contracts.
I want to be clear: I’m not advocating for these policies purely out of the goodness of my heart. Supporting union work benefits our economy and it benefits all of us. When workers earn fair pay and receive fair treatment, our neighborhoods prosper, local economies thrive, and families have real opportunities. I’ve spent my career standing alongside working people, fighting to secure fair wages and stronger labor protections. As Comptroller, I will continue that fight every single day because New York City is strongest when working people have the rights, protections, and paychecks they deserve.
