The influx of immigrants in New York City has entered the construction industry, bringing unexpected increases.
More women seeking asylum are taking construction jobs, New York Times reports report. Social service workers told the outlet that the industry offers stable work and pay as an alternative to jobs typically open to potentially undocumented female employees, such as domestic service.
Aside from the individual cases cited by the outlet, the figures also show a recent increase in demand for construction work. In the first half of this year, the number of construction site safety training cards issued by the Buildings Department was more than three times the number issued in the whole of 2019.
Providers of much-needed safe construction courses are seeing women in those seats more and more than in pre-pandemic years, as courses dedicated to women are nearly full.
The construction industry also offers growth opportunities. Professional skills certifications such as scaffolding can provide women, many of whom may be the breadwinners of their families, with the ability to earn more income.
An immigration expert told the media that the recent wave of migration differed from the historical norm because more families were fleeing violence in South America than single men.
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The industry stands out for its ample opportunity and job security, but its faults abound, as sexism and exploitation have long plagued the male-dominated industry — along with the dangers of an active workplace.
Social service workers also raised the risks of working without a permit. As a growing market means more room for competition and exploitation, contractors hire day laborers and solicit workers at wages well below minimum wage; NICE, a Queens-based immigrant-serving organization, receives as many as 100 Complaints about wage deduction.
— holden walter warner
