How Much Do Construction Workers Make in NYC

Construction labor jobs are hard work, long hours, and often times dangerous. But they are a great job for someone who is a hard worker, does not have a advanced degree or a certificate for medical work and needs to make money.

The big question is how much will you make as a construction laborer in NYC.

That depends on one thing: if you’re union or not.

To be clear, when we are discussing construction work, we’re only going to focus on labor jobs. This piece is not meant to be a discussion of electricians, plumbers, pipe benders, painters, crane operations, or any of the other skilled trades that work in construction in NYC.

Construction laborers are a very specific role and it doesn’t help to compare their salary and hourly to other professions.

So, this article is only going to discuss how much construction workers make in NYC: both union and non union.

Union Construction Workers vs Non-Union Workers

First, it is important to make a distinction between union workers and non-union workers. Union workers such as Local 79 are in a much better position. They are paid higher wages, receive health and pension benefits, and have safer working conditions.

However, it can be hard to get into a union. In some cases, you need to be sponsored or know someone in the union to get the job.

And there’s a good reason for that. Union construction worker can make twice what a non-union worker makes.

The problem with labor construction unions is that they are not as highly paid as skilled trades like carpenters, electricians, and plumbers and masons.

A laborer might make 25+ an hour, but when you compare that to laborers in other skilled trades that make 60-80 an hour, you can see the disparity.

Also, some people complain about nepotism even in the union. After going through the apprenticeship program the person still has to be assigned work. This is where nepotism and family connections come into play.

Non-union jobs are paid less, but not much less. A non-union construction job will come in around 20 an hour, depending on the site.

The largest difference between union and non-uninon jobs when it comes to labor is the safety, and the type of job.

Non-union laborers might work in hazardous conditions where their supervisor is a criminal working for a shell company owned by a NYC landlord or property developer. Injuries happen in these situations, and often. 

If you are working on a union job for a construction company, then there are more protections in place and you are also guaranteed your money.

Many non-union construction firms in NYC either slow pay their employees or use third party companies and suspicious staffing firms to not pay their workers once the job is through.

These staffing firms and construction firms are able to exploit criminals, felons, people without ID, and even those desperate for work who will take any job.

Union jobs are not often advertised online. So, when you see an ad for a construction company hiring laborers on Craigslist or Indeed or Monster, you should proceed with caution and make sure you know exactly who it is your are dealing with.

Where Are You Finding Construction Jobs?

If you are looking online for construction jobs, and you’re not someone who is hooked into the union system, then you are going to mostly be searching through non-union job postings.

These jobs might run anywhere from minimum wage to 25 an hour. However, it’s important to know that many construction companies are shell corporations that are formed by property developers for a project, so there is a risk of not being paid the full amount.

The best approach would be to only sign up with a construction company that has been around for years and offers labor jobs. These jobs won’t give you benefits or health insurance, but they will tend to be an honest paycheck.

The reason that NYC has so many non-union construction jobs in a city where unions rule has to do with the demographics as well as the culture of property development.

NYC welcomes undocumented laborers from other countries and provides them with ample housing, food stamps, and health programs. These undocumented workers are hard pressed to find legal work because they cannot legally fill out tax forms, but they do find work in the hospitality industry and construction.

Also, NYC has one of the most preferential  tax programs for real estate developers. Many buildings are built and sit empty or are built and then sold to the city at handsome profits. Therefore, there are not enough workers to build these buildings.

If you are searching on Craigslist, Monster, Indeed, or any other job site, always go with a company that lists their name and not a company that hides their name. And stay far away from any staffing firm or temp agency. The only reason a company would use a staffing or temp agency to staff for their construction jobs is if they don’t want to pay benefits and the job is not safe and not desirable.

The best option for someone looking to get into construction work long term would be to try and get an apprenticeship with the Local 79 union.

There are also NYC CITY Jobs, some of which are manual labor related. It’s a good idea to become famalair with them and the nyc jobs list.

Craigslist, Indeed, and Job Sites?

Yes, you can find construction jobs on any of these jobs sites. As you know from reading this far, the NYC region is one of the most lucrative when it comes to construction—at least as far as profitable for the real estate developers. So, yes there are many construction jobs online.

Every day there will be construction jobs , specifically labor jobs posted online. And if you need some fast cash and you’re someone who doesn’t mind hard work then you can find work as a labor construction hourly worker.

It’s not going to be a career though. If you are looking for a career in the construction field, you will want to look into a NYC labor job working for the City of New York or as a union member who can get connected with a company that has constant jobs.

Hourly Rate vs Daily Rate: Know Your Numbers

Before you sign onto any particular job, get the numbers clear. Are you getting paid an hourly rate or a daily rate. Because, that can be the difference between a good job and a bad job.

Some construction companies like to advertise large daily rates, but what they fail to tell workers is that their daily schedule is a 12 hour shift. That can mean the difference between making 25 an hour and making 16 an hour.

Some construction sites run long hours in order to get work done. This is especially true when you’re dealing with brand new construction companies that are looking to hire on for a property developer who has a shady history with city funded projects. The city of NYC is a money making machine for property developers, so it’s important to vet any project you are going to work on.

An hourly rate is always better because that way you can determine exactly how much you will be paid for your time.

But My Friend Works Construction and He Makes Bank!

Unless your friend works for a union, he’s blowing smoke. Even if he is working for a union he might be making up his salary. The ugly truth to union work is that unless someone is connected to a boss in the union structure, they might not be put onto a good job.

This is not the case with all unions, but with labor unions it is a common story.

And if you’re friend is working pickup construction jobs that they find online then they are working short term roles.

It’s common for people to exaggerate their salary, so this is not something to be upset about.

Unless your friend is working for a city agency or a union, then they are in a precarious situation as well. There is no health insurance, no benefits and no protection.

So, instead of listening to what someone tells you they make, look up the prevailing wage online and then see what craigslist or Indeed posts. Because most of the time people who boast about making a lot of money are not making much at all.