Organizing into the New Year by Tony Hernandez

I am grateful; it is an honor and a privilege to work for all our members. 2019 brought more work opportunities for our members and opportunities to organize new members.

Our opportunities have grown due to the construction of the Chelsea Viaduct and MBTA infrastructure spending. TSI Painting has been working at stations like Downtown Crossing, Chinatown, State Street, Haymarket Station on the Orange Line, while John W. Egan has worked on the Park Street and Forest Hill stations.

We must continue to educate non-union workers about 1099 subcontractors and other labor laws. Subcontractors stop being independent contractors when they’re told what to do by the supervisor of their company on the job site. These workers sometimes work 10 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week, at a rate of $18-$20 an hour. This is a problem. This creates over $1 billion in an underground economy, and over $100 million in tax revenue lost to the state. Let’s keep working on member education and protecting all workers when we head into the new year.

My family and I would like to wish all of our members and their families a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2020. Happy holidays!

Mi familia y yo queremos desear a todos los miembros de DC 35 y sus familiares una feliz navidad y un saludable y próspero 2020!