T.R.A.D.E.S.

TRADES (Trade Unions and Residents for Apprenticeship Development and Economic Success) is the first large-scale progressive economic development campaign of its kind to be won in New York City and has set a nationwide precedent for labor-community coalition-building to secure union contracts in public housing and union apprenticeships for public housing residents.

The coalition of once unlikely allies—building trades unions, public housing residents, community organizations, and policy advocates—formed in 2001 out of a recognition of their shared interest in changing construction policies at the New York City Housing Authority. For years, labor unions had been pressuring the Authority to use responsible contractors for maintenance and construction work and at the same time, residents were struggling for training and job opportunities which NYCHA is bound by federal law to provide.

TRADES began to use the leverage of this federal legislation to organize a campaign that would meet the interests of all the coalition members—training and career-track jobs for public housing residents, more jobs and contracts for union construction workers, better-built and well-maintained public housing throughout the City, and a replicable campaign to promote better workforce development policy across the country.

Now NYCHA is not only at the table, but actually taking the lead in implementing and expanding the $500 million agreement that TRADES negotiated in 2003 (now worth at least $850 million based on NYCHA’s internal expansion of the program).