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Union Alleges Yeshiva University Mishandled Asbestos Removal

Two members of Laborers International Union of North America were gathered outside Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in Greenwich Village with a 12-foot tall inflatable rat and a banner bearing the words, “Asbestos kills.”

Although they were protesting at the law school, the union members actually were complaining about the asbestos removal project that Shoreline Contracts Inc. has been doing in Yeshiva University’s Library at 185th and Amsterdam Avenue. Yeshiva hired  Shoreline, whose website says it specializes in asbestos removal and other projects involving environmental safety,

According to the protesters, Shoreline failed to properly contain asbestos within the construction area or to protect the workers from the harmful effects of exposure to asbestos. Certain lung diseases and lung cancers have been caused by asbestos exposure.

Officials at Yeshiva, however, said they have been satisfied with Shoreline’s work, and its decision to hire non-union asbestos removers.

“The non-union licensed contractor we engaged for this project provides great expertise and experience at a significant savings,” Matthew Yaniv, Yeshiva University’s director of media relations, wrote in an email.

Union members, however, said they question how safely Shoreline has been doing the work. Abraham Hernandez, a union organizer, fears that although the university is saving money, these “significant savings” come at the price of Shoreline workers’ income and safety.

“When you’re dealing with asbestos, it’s a whole other ball game,”  Hernandez said.

According to Hernandez, Yeshiva has been unwilling to work with unionized contractors on account of the extra expenses that entails. Unions present the potential for disputes over worker’s wages and safety precautions; sometimes they strike and stay off the job because of those disputes, he said.

According to Yeshiva spokesman Yaniv, “Yeshiva does utilize union labor in many situations, but, in general, has a responsibility to take into account a range of considerations in selecting vendors to work on our campuses.”

Because asbestos is a toxic and hazardous material that can cause illnesses such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, Hernandez said, “Having a company that doesn’t want to live up to the standards of the industry” could put lives at risk.

When asked about the goals of the union’s protests, protestor Diego Alaya said, “We just want [Yeshiva] to use a responsible contractor.”

The union is continuing its investigation of how the asbestos is being handled, partly by talking to Shoreline workers about what is going on in the construction site, which union members are forbidden to enter.