Do Union Demands Stymie Affordable Housing?
A right-wing think tank has issued a big report that, according to the Sun, says affordable housing construction would be sped up by the use of nonunion labor. The Manhattan Institute is—not surprisingly—arguing that soaring construction costs are slowing development, and a big part of that slowdown is caused by unions that demand a prevailing…
A right-wing think tank has issued a big report that, according to the Sun, says affordable housing construction would be sped up by the use of nonunion labor. The Manhattan Institute is—not surprisingly—arguing that soaring construction costs are slowing development, and a big part of that slowdown is caused by unions that demand a prevailing wage for their workers. Also not surprisingly, not everyone agrees with the report’s findings. “This is a valid area of investigation, but I would not support this recommendation,” says Richard Anderson, the president of the New York Building Congress. And Louis Colletti, president of the Building Trades Employers’ Association, said the recommendation was “absurd” and the use of nonunion labor results in “substandard housing in terms of quality and safety.” Of course, some affordable housing developers in Brooklyn, like the Fifth Avenue Committee, acknowledge that it’s very difficult for them to use union labor because of its higher costs, and the rapidly rising Toren is basically a textbook example of how quickly you can build when you leave unions behind. (The skyscraper has 42 affordable units.) Where do you stand on the issue?
Report Urges Nonunion Labor Use [NY Sun]
Photo by arecee.
Open the borders!
Unions created the middle class in the fifties and sixties and seventies. I wouldn’t have gone to college if my father hadn’t been a union member and was paid a decent wage as a result. This is a social world and we all need each other. I’ve got nothing against competition except when it works against the mass of people. I believe in capitalism–regulated capitalism. And without unions and government capitalism operates unfettered and destructively. And with the current U.S. administration we see what is happening to workers in this country and the loss of jobs everywhere. . .No disrespect to the businessmen who believe otherwise, but you can do what 9:55 AM said!
For every Toren there is a Smith. The Strong Place conversion near me is non-union, as far as I can tell, and it’s been going on for two years and still no finished roof.
Yeah, corrupt unions suck but so do corrupt politicians.
10:15 get your head out of your ass
your tired talking points are ineffective
the goal of a unoin is to squeeze as much money as possible for as little work as possible.
end result is an overpriced product or service
9:45 — Thank you, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Unions are corrupt and destructive.
The greed in this country starts at the top. That is all that needs to be said in any argument about unions. Unions are not to blame.
9:55 A very large reason most of us work long hours only to turn most of it around to government at all levels (taxes), and only to be subjected to an artifically inflated healthcare market, and only to have what little is left eaten by artifically caused inflation, etc. is because of unions (i.e., government). Eat me, you socialist “humanitarian” s-bag.
My three personal experiences with unions:
1. Worked for a non-union shop that unionized; got a raise equal to my union dues.
2. Worked for a non-union shop that unionized; got a substanial raise and had my hours cut so I earned the same as before.
3. Worked for the city and was given the option of paying union dues or paying an equal amount and receiving no benefits, thereby leaving me little choice.
Now that I got that off my chest, it is not logical, 9:55, to compare what unions needed to and did accomplish in the 19th century with what is happening today. Completely different situations. And I agree with 9:57, union trade people are more expensive but non-union isn’t necessarily faster.
why use american organized labor when you can use child labor in asia.
Just some rice and a cot. If they get sick just get rid of them. Those labor unions are trouble.