LOCAL 78 OFFICIAL SITE

Edison, Pawel Jr, Eli Kent, Kazik at LIUNA Convention with Barack Obama

2008-08-26T13:52:00.001-05:00

Edison Severino - May 1, 2007 Immigration Rally

2008-05-30T07:38:00.002-05:00

Edison Severino at the Immigration Rally in New York City. May 1, 2007

Why Workers Organize

2008-05-16T14:01:00.005-05:00

By Edison Severino

When people ask me if unions have a future in this country, my answer is an unequivocal yes. My experiences with Local 78, Asbestos, Lead and Hazardous Waste Laborers, and other workers trying to organize have proved a quintessential case in point.

When the asbestos abatement workers in New York first organized, our demands went beyond the basic wage and benefit issues that are usually connected with labor unions. We wanted better pay, but more than anything else, what fueled the organizing campaign was our need for respect, the universal need to be treated by our bosses as another human being, not just a unit of production.

The New York City asbestos industry was almost entirely non-union when the Laborers International Union of North America targeted it for unionization in 1995. Virtually all of the workers in the industry were immigrants, predominantly from Eastern Europe and Latin America. We didn’t speak English, and many of us were undocumented. The supervisors, meanwhile, were almost all native-born American. The power dynamic was tilted so much in favor of the bosses that the working conditions and the degree of disrespect reached an unsustainable level. Supervisors turned the working area into their own little fiefdom.

Edison Severino addressing asbestos workers at 130 Liberty, Manhattan.

Asbestos abatement is physically-demanding and dangerous work. In 1995, the going rate was $12 per hour, with no benefits. Meanwhile, construction workers working in the same building were making five or six times that. Shifts often lasted twelve to sixteen hours, and just the mention of the word “overtime” would get you fired.

Supervisors had various methods of squeezing as much production out of workers as possible. Some supervisors made us wear numbers on the outside of our suits. If they saw a worker resting or slacking off the slightest bit, they would call his or her number. That meant you were fired. Others divided workers into pairs, giving each pair a certain area to remove. At the end of each day, the pair that had done the least work was told not to come back. If it was legal and economically advantageous to brand us, there are some supervisors who might have done that.

In the most serious manifestation of this disrespect, supervisors often downplayed or even ignored the health risks that asbestos poses. A large portion of every asbestos abatement project is devoted to protecting the general public and the workers from asbestos exposure. These measures, while necessary, are costly. In order to get the job done quickly and cheaply, supervisors would flout the safety regulations, putting the workers in grave danger. We were often told not to wear the full-face masks because they slowed down our production. Of course, these masks also have the “side effect” of protecting us from inhaling asbestos fibers.

Working under these conditions on a daily basis, we were eager to start organizing when the Laborers’ representatives came knocking. Hundreds of workers immediately made the commitment to fight for better conditions and signed union authorization cards. After months of job actions, the campaign came to a culmination in the strike at the Exxon building in midtown Manhattan in February of 1996. Through the snow and cold, hundreds of workers marched against contractor Asbestos Containment Services Inc., calling for an end to the disrespect, low pay and dangerous conditions.

Despite frenzied efforts by the contractor, we maintained our unity and held the line. By the time the snow began to melt, we went back to work, but only after the balance of power was dramatically altered. We returned with a signed union contract laying out the rules of employment, and with a shop steward and union representatives whose job was to enforce the contract and represent us collectively.

After the campaign, LIUNA sent me to Alabama and North Carolina to help out in a campaign to organize chicken processing workers. It was there that I came to realize that our situation in New York was not unique. While the chicken plant workers complained about low pay, more than anything else they talked about not being allowed to take bathroom breaks. How much would it have cost the company to allow a worker to take a five minute break? But this was not about cost savings. The company denied the workers this basic human decency because they only saw them as production units, closer to machines or work animals than as men and women.

As long as the bosses write the rules of employment, there will be abuses of power like those suffered by asbestos workers in New York City and chicken processing workers in North Carolina and Alabama. Wherever people are treated not as fellow humans but as cogs in the production machine, they will come together and fight for more control over their working conditions. That is the essence of a workers’ union.

Edison Severino is currently the Business Manager for Laborers Local 78, the largest asbestos, lead and hazardous waste local in the country, with over 3,400 members and 90% market share in New York City and Long Island.

Report on Inquiry into Payment Practices of New York Insulation

2008-04-02T15:19:00.003-05:00

Click here to open and download Book 1, which includes the first group of NY Insulation employees who made complaints.

Co-op City

2008-04-02T12:22:00.000-05:00

Local 78 on Strike Against KZ&V

Victory at Co-op City!!!

2007-12-27T17:22:00.000-05:00

On Friday, Dec. 21, Local 78 ended the first strike in its history when CAC of NY signed a contract with the Union, and returned the fired members to their jobs at Co-op City.

This victory would not have been possible had it not been for the solidarity of the fired workers and the entire membership, who suffered through below-freezing temperatures, rain and snow to fight for their union.

In union there is strength!!!

Father monitors son's asbestos company @ Bell Park Gardens

2007-09-19T14:33:00.000-05:00

Safety Lead Services is performing a large asbestos abatement job in Bell Park Gardens. Paul Stein claims that he has hired a separate air monitoring company, called Communication Gear, to monitor Safety Lead. As shown below, Communication Gear, Safety Lead and Asbestway are all in the same family.

Air Monitor
Communication Gear, Inc.
576 Montgomery St., Brooklyn, NY 11225
(718) 773-4024

Click here to see a listing of the people related to Air Monitor Communication Gear

Click here to look up Sholom Gorodetsky's primary residence
576 Montgomery St., Brooklyn, NY 11225

Asbestos Licensed Contractor
Safety Lead Services
543 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
Owner: Chaya Bistritzky
Click here for NYS Dept. of State link
Click here for Safety Lead's asbestos violation history

Asbestway Abatement Corp.
132 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11205
Owner: Mendy Gorodetsky
Click here for NYS Dept. of State link

Asbestways Corp.
543 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211
Representative: Chaya Bistritzky
Click here for NYS Dept. of State link

Asbestway and Safety Lead Services operate interchangeably. If you go to 543 Bedford Avenue, you will find neither Asbestway nor Safety Lead Services. At 132 Washington Ave, though, you will find a garage where Safety Lead Services parks their trucks. Click here for map.

If you do a reverse look-up for Communication Gear phone number, you will find Sholom Gorodetsky and Mendy Gorodetsky listed at the same phone number and address -576 Montgomery St. (see above).

Click here to access Bodnarchuk v. The State of New York - a detailed account of how one Mendy Gorodetsky company committed safety violations, and why you need a truly independent air monitor.

Equal Driver Licenses for all New Yorkers

2007-02-05T20:55:00.000-05:00

Local 78 support Equal Driver Licenses for all New Yorkers.

In Feb 3, 2007 we met with other Organizations. See pictures...

Equal Driver Licenses for all New Yorkers

We extended the Registratrion for Ground Zero

2007-02-05T16:52:00.000-05:00

We extended the Registration for the Compensation Plan for Ground Zero Workers. The registration is going to be every Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 5pm for the month of February and March at the Mason Tenders School located at: 42-53 21st Street, Long Island City, NY 11101. Tel: (718) 383-6863 Fax (718) 383-6942.

Local 78 Immigration Rallies

2007-02-05T16:49:00.000-05:00

We had two big immigrations rallies on 2005. Please see Pictures...

Local 78 Immigration Rallies

We're going back to our Office.

2007-01-31T15:50:00.000-05:00

Our Local 78 office at 30 Cliff Street will be open on February 5th, 2007.

POLISH VIDEO

2007-01-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

Local 78 Membership Meeting

2007-01-24T15:50:00.000-05:00

Local 78 Membership Meeting

Local 78 Membership Meeting and Shop Steward meeting that took place on January 23 2007, remember the next meeting will be in March at the old local on 15 Street between 5th and 6th Ave.

To Contact us please send an email to:

2007-01-16T11:40:00.001-05:00

admin@local78.net

GENERAL OFFICE
212-227-4803 (RECEPTION)

Or visit our office at

30 Cliff Street, New York, NY 10038

Oto zdjecia z parady Pulaskiego 06

2007-01-16T10:54:00.001-05:00

Polska Parada

Polish Parade on NYC 2006

Local 78 on Strike against KZ&V

2007-01-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

Local 78 on Strike Against KZ&V

On January 2007, KZ&V was trying to go non union in the job located at Co-op City, Bronx. After hours of strike the problem was solved thanks to Local 78 Business Agents and Orginizers. Local 78 Business Manager was also present.

Problem on 130 Liberty NYC

2007-01-15T11:07:00.000-05:00

Problem on 130 Liberty NYC

Business Manager Local 78 Edison Severino stoping Dutch Bank Job. Company John Gault was paying Apprentices Wage to all the workers. After hours the problem was solved.

Savings on Electricity

2007-01-09T13:49:00.000-05:00

Great Article about: Saving on Electricity at: http://saving-on-electricity.blogspot.com/

HUMBERTO YEPPES VIDEO

2007-01-05T14:51:00.000-05:00

Este video refleja la importancia de que nuestros miembros de la Local 78 sigan las reglas de seguridad cuando esten en las areas de trabajo.

LOCAL 78 SPANISH VIDEO

2007-01-05T14:29:00.000-05:00

EL PROPOSITO DE ESTE VIDEO ES EDUCAR A LOS MIEMBROS DE LA LOCAL 78 DEL IMPORTANTE ROLL QUE JUEGA NUESTRA UNION EN LA INDUSTRIA DEL ASBESTOS Y LOS RETOS PARA EL AÑO 2007.

PIERINA CORREA VIDEO - ALIANZA PAIS

2007-01-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

La Arquitecta Pierina Correa habla sobre el Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) y la integracion Latinoamericana.

2006 LOCAL 78 CHRISTMAS PARTY PICTURES

2006-12-27T10:10:00.000-05:00

Local 78 Christmas Party 2006

Click the above image to see the Pictures

Local 78 Visiting Job Sites

2006-12-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

Visiting Local 78 Job Sites

1096 6th Ave, NYC - Verizon

Local 78 Business Manager Edison Severino Visiting Local 78 Job Site.

CHRISTMAS PARTY 2006 INVITATION

2006-12-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

LOCAL 78 ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY

DECEMBER 22, 2006, FROM 9PM TO 2AM

AT THE WORLD ASTORIA MANOR
25-22 ASTORIA BLVD, ASTORIA NY 11102

TICKETS: $25 P/P

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT THE OFFICE OR YOUR SHOP STEWARD.

OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES

2006-12-13T09:46:00.004-05:00

EDISON SEVERINO
Business Manager

KAZIK PROSNIEWSKI

President

PAWEL GRUCHACZ

Secretary-Treasurer

EDWIN DE JESUS

917-578-9164 Business Agent (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island)

CHRIS WALEK
917-731-1201 Business Agent (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island)

MAREK TRUSKOLASKI

917-418-0075 Business Agent (Long Island)

MARIO CHAMORRO
917-578-3851 Organizer/BA (Long Island)

FABIO MORALES
646-510-8718 Business Agent (Manhattan, Bronx, Queens)

ROBERT ROWEK
646-457-3317 Organizer/BA (Manhattan, Bronx, Queens)

JORGE ROLDAN

917-807-1019 Business Agent (All Boroughs)
Apprentices Coordinator

MANUEL ORTIZ

917-418-0334 Business Agent (All Boroughs)

IGOR FISAKOV

347-852-5069 Organizer/BA (All Boroughs)

ELI KENT

646-208-7150 Organizing Director (All Boroughs)

DANIEL MOTA-LORA

646-523-2049 Organizer

Franklin Ortega
917-662-8925 Organizer

Carlos Severino
917-697-8729 Organizer

Sebastian
917-494-5449 Organizer

Radek Korek
347-554-14763 Organizer

FABIAN DEREWIECKI
917-731-8391 Business Agent-Dispatcher

NGULLEN RIVERA
917-731-8392 Business Agent-Dispatcher

GENERAL OFFICE

212-227-4803 (RECEPTION)