Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed Carlos’s Law, a New York state bill that, if enacted, would increase financial penalties employers face for workplace fatalities.
The Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York represents more than 100,000 union construction workers across New York City, who are members of 15 affiliated Local Unions.
LaBarbera is also President of the New York State (NYS) Building & Construction Trades Council.
Named in honor of Carlos Moncayo, a construction worker killed on the job in 2015, the bill passed the State Assembly and State Senate and is awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature. She is expected to sign the bill by the end of the year, LaBarbera said.
If the bill becomes law, it will raise the financial penalties employers face for workplace fatalities from a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $10,000 to a minimum of $300,000 and a maximum of $500,000, which would go to the deceased person’s family. It would also broaden the criteria of workers to whom these new rules apply.
LaBarbera also spoke about amendments made last year to New York State’s Wage Protection Act, which hold the general contractor responsible for wage theft violations, rather than subcontractors.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.