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Momentum is building for Mamdani to reform NYC’s plumbing code and allow plastics in piping www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/n...

nytimes.comDo Buildings Need Cast-Iron Pipes, or Would Plastic Do? (Gift Article)New construction in New York City must have cast-iron plumbing under current rules. A public policy group says that makes building more expensive.

David Bonowitz

@dbonowitz.bsky.social

19 Sept

Is there no union issue? You'll recall that this was on the list of issues that affected Gray Davis' recall in CA: bsky.app/profile/dbon...

David Bonowitz@dbonowitz.bsky.social

As I recall it, he took the plumber's union position against cheaper pvc piping in order to hold their political support. But that was a small issue among many ... still, enough to motivate one engineer (no, not me) to run against him in the chaotic replacement election that gave us Arnold.

Stephen Jacob Smith

@stephenjacobsmith.com

Definitely a big union issue. There are some weird dynamics between Mamdani and the construction trades. He campaigned on having all affordable housing be union-built, then deemphasized that as soon as he started gaining traction and then dropped it entirely as mayor. And then he was cagey up until…

19/9/26, 8:29 pm0 reposts8 likes

Mike BOO-rnandez

@burnorbrah.bsky.social

19 Sept

He’s cashing in alot of DSA-membership and leftie-vibes capital as he does a lot of trade-union unfriendly things. It’s good, but one wonders how long he can keep it up

Stephen Jacob Smith

@stephenjacobsmith.com

19 Sept

I’m not sure DSA really cares all that much about these parochial NYC union issues, I think it’s just an aesthetic

Mike BOO-rnandez

@burnorbrah.bsky.social

19 Sept

You’re probably right. Which is especially funny since that’s what a proverbial 90s-era neolib DLC Democrat would do (the kind that the progressive Left hates).

Stephen Jacob Smith

@stephenjacobsmith.com

19 Sept

…the election about the affordable housing streamlining ballot measure (which the unions opposed), but then endorsed them at the last minute. All of the trades endorsed Cuomo, not him.