a state that works

8/14/2019 A State That Works

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A STATETHAT

WORKS

32BJs Plan for Good Jobs and a Strong Economy


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A STATETHAT WORKS Good Jobs,

Strong Economy

Good Jobs, Strong Economy | 3

A STATE THAT WORKS

Stagnating wages, an ever-growing gap between the very rich and

everybody else, and a workforce struggling to meet basic family needs

are holding our states economy back. And too often, effort s to stimulate

our economy are focused on top-down strategies that just do not work.

New York needs a new multi-faceted approach that replaces failing job

creation efforts and an overreliance on Wall Street with a comprehensive

plan to invest state resources strategically in New Yorks people, businesses

and communities. It must begin with job creation that puts financial

resources into the hands of workers, stimulating the economy from the

bottom up.

New York States elected officials and policymakers must take this

opportunity to advance a new set of priorities based on fostering the type

of economic growth that meets the needs of New Yorkers statewide. This

paper presents 32BJs policy agenda in the hopes of moving a new set of

prioritiesand a series of policiesforward thoughtfully and swiftly.

INTRODUCTION


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CREATE AND SUPPORTGOOD JOBSLeverage New York States spending

power to promote economic development

CHALLENGE

The states current approach to economic development is haphazard,

expensive and ineffective. Economic development programs have not

sustained long-term growth across the state, nor have they been adequately

targeted to support those employers and industries that can create jobs that

lift workers out of poverty and into the middle class.

SOLUTION

The state must reassess its economic development agenda and how it

awards financial incentives to businesses. More immediately:

Development Agency (IDA) reform.

Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and to state-financed

affordable housing.

investing in training for workers to improve energy efficient building

operations and maintenance practices.

STATE SUBSIDIES MUST CREATE GOOD JOBSI have traveled all over in order to work. Millwright s work in power plants and oil

refineries and on big constr uction sites. When theres union work, it pays well and

I get health insurance, pension and other benefits.

When I heard that CVS was building a huge distr ibution center about 10 miles

from here on I-86, I thought Id get good work there, building the conveyors and

racks, setting up the r obotics. But it turned out that t he contractor was nonunion

from North Carolina, even though I know that CVS got tax breaks from New York

State and IDA money.

When I worked on the site, they provided none of the necessar y safety equipment.

I had to supply my own helmet, safety har ness, safety glasses, welding gloves and

welding leather. And only a few of the 40-50 workers on the s ite were from nearby.

The rest were brought in from out of state.

This is where I was born and raised myself. My wife is a nurse. Shes making the

mortgage payments now, about $1,000 a month. But were expecting our first chi ld

in Decemberand theres no work near here that will s upport my family. That

doesnt seem right.

-Joseph Temple

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For a detailed description of 32BJs legislative and policy goals regarding

economic development, see page 12.

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Good Jobs, Strong Economy | 54 |A State That Works


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PUBLIC MONEY, POVERTY JOBSIts really hard to make ends meet on $8.50 an hour. I have two kids, 5 and 2, and

my wife works too. But the math doesnt always add up. Every month we have to

decide what bills to pay. We cant pay them all each month. We have to make hard

choices about what to buy at the grocery store. I pay Con Ed part of my pay back for

my electricity bill; it comes to about $80 a month.

My family needs public assistance to sur vive. My children and I have Medicaid.

We also get food stamps, even though I work full-time.

We need better pay. Thats why were organizing with t he union. In order to make

progress, to win decent rais es, we have handed out fliers, weve had marches and

rallies, weve talked to politicians and gone to an annual investors meeting wit h

a priest. Weve been in the newspaper, The Daily News and El Diario. And nothing

happened. It made no difference.

Now we need a new plana new law that would make Con Ed h ire contractors that

pay just salaries. Changing the law is our last recourse.

Its hard to live in New York, but I want my kids to grow up here. There are chancesfor them to have a better life.

-Fernando Cruz

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public procurement, see page 13.


USE GOVERNMENT RESOURCESTO RAISE STANDARDSEnsure that procurement promotes

responsible state contracting

CHALLENGE

New York State spends billions of dollars each year on contracted services

without requiring vendors to meet basic standards. Many contractors,

in fact, pay their employees povert y-level wages and provide neither

health insurance nor other benefits. As a result, many contracted workers

and their families are dependent on the state for health care, housing

subsidies and other work-support programs. The procurement systemlacks transparency, making it impossible for the state to hold irresponsible

contractors accountable.

SOLUTION

The state can increase the number of good jobs in New York:

procurement practices.

employers obey all laws and respect disabled workers rights.

service prevailing wage law to include additional work performed

under contract, such as food service and work done at public utilities.

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GOING GREEN BENEFITS ALLThe green courses at 32BJs labor-management training fund have enabled me

to come up with new ideas to make my building more efficient, safer and more

comfortable for tenants. Now Im not just making repairs, Im making i mprovements.

The work I dooperations and maintenanceis key to running an energy-efficient

building. Its the little things th at add up and have the greatest effect. Weve always

been diligent about recycling. Weve sealed air leaks around the windows and doors

to cut down on heat loss, which saves oil. We have timers and sens ors on the lights

outside and were using compact fluorescent lights in the hallways.

Water saving is my pet project. Its something I can control. I dont need a special

budget for it. We fixed leaks and installed water-saving toilets, aerators on the faucets

and showerheads that use less water.

Were moving toward further changes: green cleaning products, lighter heating oil

and safer, less toxic paint.

.

This is my career. Its not just a job. The work is very rewarding. Tenants appreciate

living in a building where were making every effort to save energy and preciousresources.

-Loretta Zuk

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unFor a detailed description of 32BJs legislative and policy goals regardingtax policy, see page 13.


FAIR TAXES, GOOD JOBSEnsure an equitable tax system

that supports the creation of

affordable and market-rate housing

CHALLENGE

The state is in the midst of a financial crisis, with record-high projected

deficits. During difficult budget times, keeping the same old tax policies on

the books without reassessing their effectiveness is a missed opportunity

to bring in much-needed revenue.

SOLUTION

The state should determine whether tax policies, abatements and incentives

are encouraging the growth of good jobs and housing. Proposals that

change the levels of exemptions could generate needed revenue for New

York State, especially in tough financial times when everyone should share

the burden.

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TRAINING MATTERSI am stationed on the platform of dif ferent stations in the PATH systemthe World

Trade Center, Christopher Street, Hoboken. Im looking out for the s afety of everyone

and the property. There are so many people in the system t hat I have to have a great

sense of alertness and awareness about me all the time. It can be tense at times.

went to a five-day training course at the union building. It included what we would

experience on the platform. We were trained about how to conduct ourselves.

In mass tr ansit, people see us as their eyes. If something goes wrong, they look to us.

We have to know how to respond, and respond quickly. I look at everything. Its like

driving a caryou have to be alert and aware, scanning the environment all t he time.

If I am suspicious about something, I watch it. You never know when something is

going to happen.

I feel my responsibility very deeply because so many people are counting on me to

keep them safe.

-Terrence Kelsor

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worker protections, see page 14.


BRING WORKING NEW YORKERSOUT OF POVERTYSet higher standards for low-wage industries

and strengthen worker supports

CHALLENGE

The most recent economic recession has taken a toll not only on the states

bottom line, but also on the millions of working families that struggle to

pay their bills and send their children to school each day.

SOLUTIONThe state can help low-income workers by getting greater numbers of New

Yorkers back to work in jobs that enable them to support t heir families and

by providing critical supports to those still out of work:

industries, such as security.

leverage employer-based coverage.

insurance system by increasing payments to workers and ensuring

that the program is fully funded.

can care for loved ones without the risk of losing their jobs.

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12 |A State That Works

Issue an executive order to codify responsible procurement practices. Only responsible contractors should be doing business with New York State.

Administrative changes should include:

XAn improved method for determining best value that includescalculating the hidden costs to t he state of low-wage employment.

XDevelopment of consistent standards and procurement practicesso that all state agencies follow the same procurement rules.

Pass legislation to reform preferred source contracts. The state must carefully

monitor contractors employing workers to ensure that they obey all laws and

respect workers rights. The state also should expand the preference under

procurement law to include responsible private sector contractors that employ

disabled workers and respect their rights as employees.

Fix New York States Section 230 building service prevailing wage law to include

additional work performed under contract, such as food service and work done at

public utilities.

Determine whether taxes and abatementssuch as the mortgage recording tax,

the real property transfer tax, the private activity bond allocation act and the co-op

and condo real property tax abatement are encouraging t he growth of good paying

jobs and market rate/affordable housing in New York.

If reforms to tax programs are made, earmark proceeds to generate needed

revenue for New York State.

32BJs NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATIVE

AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA

Pass Industrial Development Agency reform. This legislation will provide

needed transparency, accountability and wage standards to New Yorks Industrial

Development Agencies. In 2008, for example, Industrial Development Agencies

spent over half a billion taxpayer dollars on businesses that either failed to create

new jobs or actually cut jobs.

Assess the states current economic development programs. The governor and

economic subsidy programs to assess their effectiveness. Once completed, they

should issue recommendations on how to ensure that these programs further the

goals of supporting good jobs and revitalizing regional economies. The state has

taken a good first step in re-envisioning Empire Zones. Comprehensive reforms

must come next.

Require the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and its subsidiaries

to provide benefits only to projects where all building service workers,

including security officers, working on the premises are paid prevailing wages

and benefits. The primary purpose of the ESDC must be to promote economic

development that creates good jobsthose that pay at least a living wage, provide

affordable, quality benefits and respect workers rights. To this end, the governor

should direct the ESDC to adopt rules requiring those receiving financial benefits

from the ESDC and/or its subsidiaries to pay building service workers the

prevailing industry wage.

Condition Housing Finance Agency assistance on an agreement to pay all

building service workers prevailing wages and benefits.Analogous to the policy

enacted through the 421-a program, the state should require recipients of HFA

financial assistance to pay building service workers the prevailing wage.

Require all buildings to be benchmarked for energy use and audited,with a

requirement that existing building staff be trained in energy efficient building

operations and maintenance.

LEVERAGE NEW YORK STATES SPENDING POWER

TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT1ENSURE THAT PROCUREMENT PROMOTES RESPONSIBLE

STATE CONTRACTING

ENSURE AN EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS THE

CREATION OF AFFORDABLE AND MARKET-RATE HOUSING

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Pass legislation to support the private security industry. Contracted security

officers provide the essential service of protecting the buildings where millions

of people work, live and visit each year. Yet because of poor industry standards,

turnover rates are high, pay and benefits are poor, training is inadequate, and

there is no career path to k eep security officers in the industry. To end this

XIncrease penalties on bad actors:Increase the penalties for securitycompanies that ignore licensing and training requirements and discipline

non-compliant companies more ex peditiously.

XResponsibly contract security services:Mandate 40 hours of training forsecurity officers for all security contractors receiving state contracts and

require companies that have contracts of $500,000 or more to participatein a security training program.

XPass home-rule legislationthat would expand New York Citys authorityover the licensing of security officers working in the city.

Implement health care initiativesthat leverage employer-based coverage to

cover the uninsured, such as funding programs that use employer and public

dollars to stretch coverage to those who remain uninsured. Bridge financing

models, like those proposed in New Jersey, can cover more people and bri ng

employer dollars into the health care system.

Reform unemployment insuranceby (a) ensuring that the unemployment

insurance system is fully funded, (b) increasing the payments to workers and

(c) revising the law that requires a seven-week waiting period for unemployment

benefits if a worker is unemployed due to a stri ke, lockout or other industrial

controversy.

Protect New York Citys school cleanersby opposing cuts to education in the

state budget.

Pass paid family leave legislation so workers can care for their loved ones and

take time off to care for a newborn or newly adopted child without risking their

jobs or their financial stability.

SET HIGHER STANDARDS FOR LOW-WAGE INDUSTRIES AND

STRENGTHEN WORKER SUPPORTS

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A STATETHAT WORKS Good Jobs,Strong Econo


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32BJ represents 120,000 workers in eight states and

Washington, D.C.including 70,000 New Yorkers

working in the property services industry.

We are committed to building a strong economy

that supports working families with good jobs and to

strengthening our communities to make New York

a viable place to live, work and raise a family.

32BJ SEIU

101 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10013

www.seiu32bj.org

To find out more about 32BJs policy agenda,

call 212-388-3954.

NEW YORK

A STATETHAT WORKS

a state that works

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