UAW Testifies for Renters’ Rights and Against Brokers’ Fees in NYC

UAW Local 4100 president Andrea Joseph testified on Wednesday at the New York City Council in favor of Councilmember Chi Ossé's bill to regulate brokers' fees. The FARE Act would ensure that whoever hires a real estate broker pays the broker's fee, instead of automatically forcing tenants to pay the cost. Watch her testimony.

"We have a housing and affordability crisis in our city," Andrea said, before talking about her workplace's strike for a first contract in December. "We stayed on strike to win housing guarantees for our members," she explained. "We knew that if we didn’t fight for this at the bargaining table, and our members were subject to the open market, they would be vulnerable to exploitation by brokers' fees."