Tower Climbers Win Legislative Victory for Safer Work Conditions

Earlier this month, the New York State Senate and State Assembly passed significant legislation requiring safety standards and transparency in the climbing industry. Though extremely dangerous, the work tower climbers do is integral to the availability of cell services, internet, emergency services, and other critical systems that rely on transmission towers. This legislation, championed by State Senator Rachel May and Assembly Member Dana Levenberg, is an important step toward ensuring tower climber safety is taken seriously.

Another factor impacting worker safety is that the industry’s multi-layered contracting structure lacks transparency. This leaves workers largely removed from the profitable wireless carriers and tower owners weakening employer accountability for ensuring safe conditions. In addition to requiring certain tower services contracts to include certified safety trainings for tower climbers, the legislation would require tower companies to share details about the contractors and subcontractors that employ tower climbers, including wages and any previous violations of labor law.

Members of CWA’s Tower Climbers United and activists in CWA District 1 have lobbied and educated lawmakers on the dangers of their profession and the need for enhanced safety protocols. Their work resulted in this groundbreaking legislation, which will now go before Governor Hochul to be signed into law.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.