February 22, 2024 – Former President & CEO of the BTEA Building Trades Employers Association, Lou Coletti, now current Senior Adviser in the Construction Law and Government Relations practices pens a bold Op-Ed article for the New York Daily News “Build More Construction Jobs For Black New Yorkers”.

In time for Black History Month, the article assesses the efforts of an industry that has fueled the growth of New York City’s middle class — especially in an economy that has experienced a significant loss of blue-collar manufacturing jobs.

Lou points out that, “government has always been supportive of efforts to grow the number of minority and/or women-owned (M/WBE) construction companies. However, a deep dive into this success shows there is still work to do — especially in the Black community.  The future will hinge on the removal of several stumbling blocks.

First, the cost and complexity of liability insurance can kill a business before the idea leaves a new owner’s kitchen table. New York City has the highest insurance costs in the nation because of Section 240 of the New York Labor Law, also known as “the Scaffolding Law,” which protects the rights of construction workers who suffer a fall or are struck by a falling object.”

Click here to read the article online now.