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October 30, 2008

One Hanson Place Goes Non-Union

one-hanson-place-1008.jpg
Brooklyn's tallest building (it's still is the tallest, isn't it?) will be using non-union doormen, porters and other workers in its new incarnation, as One Hanson Place. The NY Daily News reports that ten of their workers will have to pay $300 a month for health insurance for each family member (their own health insurance will be covered) because the developers, one of whom is Magic Johnson, didn't use local 32BJ folks, as 90 percent of luxury projects have. Developers say when the condo board takes over next year, they can switch to unionized workers if they want. The condos are more than 50 percent sold out. One unit still on the market is listed at $3.2 million.
Union Fury Over Magic Johnson's Luxury Tower in Bklyn [NY Daily News]
Photo by jag9889.




Posted by lisa at 9:01 AM | Comments (25)
Categories: Condos, Fort Greene

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Comments

BFD. I work at a bank and pay $500 out of pocket for my health insurance every month. Unions suck and thankfully are dying off.

Posted by: guestula at October 30, 2008 9:14 AM

Umm... I'm a union member and am covered by the New York City Employees insurance scheme. There are a couple of plans that cover your family at no additional cost, but these may not be the best for your family's situation. MOST of the plans require a supplement payment of anywhere between $200 and $1000 per month depending on the family plan.

I'm a bit ambivalent about unionism in general... unless there is a CLEAR issue of taking advantage of workers (like the housekeepers issues etc. being taken advantage of because of their ethnicity and social status)

If the non-union doormen are making a decent wage and have health insurance... what's wrong with that?! I don't completely agree with Questula above, but he's got a point. The insurance thing is a red herring. Being in a union does magically mean everything is handed to you on a silver platter.

Posted by: tybur6 at October 30, 2008 9:29 AM

"BFD. I work at a bank and pay $500 out of pocket for my health insurance every month. Unions suck and thankfully are dying off."

Bankers suck and thankfully are dying off.

Posted by: northsloperenter at October 30, 2008 9:44 AM

Why should union members continue to receive relatively free health care and not have other benfits reduced like the rest of the country has seen over the past 5 years or so? The auto workers will recieve their comeuppance shortly. That should be a warning to all of the others as well.

tybur6 is right....unless there is a clear issue of workers being taken advantage of, unions are just a road to further entitlements, none of which are deserved. If employers can't layoff and fire workers when necessary then this is not a democratic and capitalistic society.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 9:50 AM

Hate on unions all you like, but rising health care costs are one of the single biggest drags on the US businesses.

My company will happily outsource $100,000 worth of work to India rather than pay $80,000 in wages to have the work done in the USA. Why?

Benefit costs.

Nothing would be more pro-business for America than national healthcare. Taking the burden of health insurance off of American businesses and removing it as an issue in labor negotiations would be enormously beneficial.

It would also free up a lot of people to start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs rather than employees. So many people won't take a risk on starting their own business simply because they need health insurance for their kid and can't be sure they will be able to afford it right away when starting a new business.

Oh, and I suppose we could just let everyone buy their own health insurance. But (1) it costs more than the people saying that pretend it does, (2) a large percentage of people will buy inadequate or no insurance, and (3) the rest of us will have to decide if we let them and their kids die of easily cured/prevented health issues or if we pick up the bill anyway.

Posted by: northsloperenter at October 30, 2008 10:25 AM

OMG. That would be SOCIALISM, and we would end up like that horrible horrible country SWEDEN!!!!

Posted by: billyboomer at October 30, 2008 10:34 AM

yes much better we follow those mid-east oil countries where unions are essentially banned and are so very very democratic and have great freedoms. No european model for me. damned unions et. al.

Posted by: Petebklyn at October 30, 2008 10:38 AM

Well billy, not so. As long as it stops with healthcare and doesn't also include education!!! But after healthcare & education, staunch republican that I am; I have to draw the line!!!

We just need to pay for it all by not spending money in Iraq. Cut bait.

Sweden has some of the highest tax rates in the world: federal, payroll, VAT & GST.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 10:42 AM


Northsloperenter... I couldn't agree with you more!!

The real issue is the Healthcare System, not union/non-union. The fact that healthcare is still such a major part of unionism is simply because there's no other choice... they have to negotiate and lobby for these benefits. It would be a HUGE benefit to all business and the society as a whole if we can (as a society) move into a more rational way of caring for out health.

The U.S. spends almost DOUBLE (per capita) of any other country... the gov't spending in the U.S. on healthcare is about the SAME as places like the German, UK and Japan... and almost FIVE TIMES as much in private sector spending. What do we have to show for it?! Millions of uninsured and millions more under-insured and thousands of doctors that are being shortchanged by the insurance companies making it difficult to provide adequate care.

Here's an article from the Economist last week...
http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12432416&CFID=27609973&CFTOKEN=99781687

But to get back on topic... Bringing up healthcare/insurance as a point of "outrage" for the unions is ridiculous, ESPECIALLY when the non-union doormen being hired are PROVIDED insurance!! Or is there some other horrible working conditions that the doormen are "suffering" because they are not paying a union a portion of their paycheck?

Posted by: tybur6 at October 30, 2008 10:44 AM

Pete...there's a huge difference between cutting union benefits, universal healthcare and the repressive societies where basic freeedoms are banned. I think you've got some of your continents mixed up too!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 10:45 AM

Sorry... I just re-read my last comment... and I stand by it, but it does make me a very bad union member! They might take my card away. :-)

Posted by: tybur6 at October 30, 2008 10:52 AM


Magic Johnson is a union member.

Posted by: East New York at October 30, 2008 10:53 AM

I think we should collect taxes and not spend it on anything, Damn that healthcare and education, who needs it? Healthcare? You can always have your water break on the plane back to Alaska and have the flight attendants take care of you. Education? videos of McCain rallies prove that education is overrated, you just end up pallin around with radicals at those elite schools.

Posted by: billyboomer at October 30, 2008 10:53 AM

DIBS, I think you're the true maverick Republican. Is it too late to get you on the ballot by November 4?

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 30, 2008 10:53 AM

I once dated someone in Chicago who was a card-carrying teamster. Seemed the teamsters had organized the University of Chicago Library staff!!!!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 10:54 AM

Biff...I'm very fickle. I'm sure it's because I'll be making less money next year than in eash of the last 5 years during the Mutant Asshat Asset Bubble.!! That said I'm still a social liberal. And I'm not actually registered as anything.

I'm officially announcing my candidacy here on brownstoner. I have yet to select my running mate so all recommendations are welcome. I'm leaning towards PropJoe, Polemicist, and a few other. wasder will be Sec'y. of the Interior after that pic yesterday and the What will replace Paulson.

No town in America without a gay bar will recieive any financial aid whatsoever from the federal governmant and any religious leader that speaks on politics will lose his tax free status.

There will be universal healthcare. northsloperenter makes the best points regarding the long term benefits of universal healthcare.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 11:02 AM

And librarians don't need a decent wage and health and retirement benefits exactly how? I have been a free lance artist for thirty years. Much of that time I was working illegally - ie, after 8 weeks in any place an employer was supposed to be putting a worker on the books, taking for unemployment, SSI, etc. In thirty years, I have been eligable for unemployment exactly once. (Although had I been on the books, I would have been eligable many times). For a brief time I WAS a member of a union and that's the time I got the benefits. Additionally, many employers were supposed to have paid SSI benefits for me, and claimed they did. My social security statement doesn't show that anyone but ME added benefits.

I have no problems paying 90 percent of my salary for union or government services as long as I have enough left over for a nice outfit now and then, a play or a concert when I want to and a nice dinner and a bottle of wine.

I'd like a pension and I'd like decent health care.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 30, 2008 11:07 AM

DIBS, you got my vote.

Posted by: lisa at October 30, 2008 11:17 AM

DIBS, I support your policies, but might recommend a few alternatives to your suggested running mates, notwithstanding wasder. Perhaps Xander Crews as goodwill ambassador to anywhere? Using Palin logic, since I live in a state, can I be Secretary of State?

To ensure I remain a card carrying member of the Socialist Party, I do want to say I think billyboomer's last two posts were excellent.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 30, 2008 11:20 AM

"DIBS, I think you're the true maverick Republican. Is it too late to get you on the ballot by November 4?"

A true Asshat.

Dave if you are against unions and socialism they why are you for the "Big Balioutl" of the corrupted Banking System. I don't see you getting upset about that. It's just a another form of welfare.

The What (Yes it's little ole me)

Someday dave is gonna end....

Posted by: Return of The What at October 30, 2008 12:15 PM

If I tried to explain it What you wouldn't understand.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 12:18 PM

"If I tried to explain it What you wouldn't understand."

Try me..

The What (I'm backkkk)

Someday this war is gonna end...

Posted by: Return of The What at October 30, 2008 12:49 PM

"(I'm backkkk)"

(Who caresssss?)

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 30, 2008 12:55 PM

You're also an Ashattttttt but I didn't think that was relevant either.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 1:17 PM

32BJ members ARE exactly the demographic that are 'taken advantage of'. (Having said that, they are also taken advantage of by their own union!) So they make an extra five bucks an hour, which allows them to approach middle class. Good for them.

PS: I'm not a fan of unions in general.

Posted by: denton at October 30, 2008 6:36 PM

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