Unions Responsible For $100mil in Cost Overruns at Ground Zero

According to the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY), "non-productive" work rules are contributing to $100,000,000 in unnecessary labor expenses at the World Trade Center site.  The problem lies with the unions and Locals 14 and 15 are of particular concern.  Essentially, their contracts state that certain positions must be staffed at all times on site even if their labor is unnecessary.  For example, a Master Mechanic is paid $600k -800k per year in salary and benefits and must be staffed on every site with a crain, even though the crain manufacturer provides the repair services for their equipment.  REBNY suggests that we adopt national licensing standards in New York to open up the labor pool, reduce construction expenses, and raise the quality of workmanship.  Check out Steven Spinola, the president of REBNY on Fox News:

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