For generations, school construction projects on Long Island created a strong foundation of union jobs that offered good wages and stable employment that helped families build a solid middle-class life. Those jobs supported local workers, local businesses, and our communities as a whole.

But over the last decade something has changed.

Weak enforcement of wage laws and poor oversight of school construction projects have opened the door for law breaking contractors to win more local work, forcing responsible contractors out of the process and jeopardizing the well-being of our schools. In some cases, contractors are committing wage and insurance fraud, evading taxes, cutting corners on materials, and stealing from taxpayers. In fact, more than a dozen school districts have seen contractors arrested for fraud, wage theft, and shoddy building. Learn more here and see if your community has been affected.

At the end of the day, workers lose out, our community’s tax dollars are wasted, and the safety of our children, teachers and school staff are put at risk.

Our communities deserve better!

School boards control how millions of our local tax dollars are spent and those decisions directly affect the safety of our schools. When residents show up and speak out, it can shape the outcome.

That’s why we’re urging Long Island residents to show up at school board meetings to speak up for responsible construction practices, fair wages for workers, good use of taxpayer dollars, and safe schools for our community.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can get involved and stand with others to protect our community from exploitative contractors, join a community briefing on Wednesday, March 18th from 6-7pm, discussing how we can put an end to corruption and exploitation in school construction on Long Island. Register here.

Hope to see you there!

In Solidarity,

Long Island Jobs with Justice