(BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) - Clad in bright orange ponchos, Construction Workers, Labor Leaders and Elected Officials recently rallied against unsafe and exploitative labor practices that they said are occurring at Kingsland Commons, a City-funded Affordable Housing Project in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 

Standing in front of the partially-completed complex, speakers called on City Officials to strengthen oversight of labor practices on City-funded projects and accused the Marin Organization and Apex Labor Solutions - the Labor Brokers hired by the developer of the project, of being Construction Industry “Body Shops,” suppliers of cheap Non-Union labor which exploit the bodies of vulnerable workers. 

Jaylin Dunbar, a former employee of the Marin Organization, told The Chief companies like Marin take advantage of people who are at a low point, and because of that are able to compensate them poorly for such a dangerous job. 

“They are specifically targeting disenfranchised Workers,” said Justice Favor, a Field Organizer at the Mason Tenders District Council. “Black and Brown Workers, a lot of formerly incarcerated, a lot of people from low socio-economic backgrounds and Immigrant Workers.” 

Representatives said often people were hired with no experience and sent to a site untrained on their first day - which inevitably led to unsafe conditions - and frequent injuries.

Making matters worse, workers will often work through the pain of their injuries because they need the pay and because Workers' Compensation is essentially not an option for most.

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