Construction practice chair David Pfeffer was quoted in a Real Estate Weekly article, "U.S. Opioid Crisis Putting Focus on Construction Sector Drug Testing.” The article explores the issue of adding mandatory drug testing to the NYC Council’s construction safety bill as part of improved training standards for construction workers, but this remains a tension point between organized labor and merit shop workers.

David noted that the matter is more complicated than most labor disputes because it can be a matter of life and death, especially with the nationwide opioid addiction crisis and looser marijuana laws across the country.

"If a lawyer has a couple cocktails at lunch with some clients, no one’s getting hurt, especially third parties,” he said. "When a construction worker is intoxicated through alcohol, marijuana or opioids, there’s a high risk of injury to people and property.”

David told the publication that he would like to see the construction industry follow the example of the airline industry, which encourages employees to report pilots who they suspect are attempting to fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Read the full article.