A new peer support program addresses suicide and stigma in one of New York’s most demanding industries
A Crisis in Plain Sight
Construction workers in New York City build the city’s skyline. They work at heights, in extreme weather, under constant pressure to meet deadlines, and in an industry culture that has historically rewarded toughness and silence over vulnerability. The result is a mental health crisis that has gone largely unaddressed. The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any sector in the American workforce — a fact that the industry has only recently begun to confront openly. On March 13, 2026, Cornell University’s ILR School Worker Institute and the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York announced the launch of the Building Trades Peer Support Network, a new program specifically designed to address mental health and suicide in New York City’s construction industry.
The Program: Peer Support Over Hotlines
The Building Trades Peer Support Network is built on a specific insight: that construction workers are more likely to accept help from a coworker or union sibling than from a formal counseling service or a hotline. The program trains workers to recognize signs of mental health distress in their colleagues and to initiate supportive conversations — an approach that leverages the trust relationships that already exist within union locals and work crews. Chris Scattone, member assistance program director at the Ornamental and Architectural Ironworkers Union Local 580, described the program’s approach as meaningfully different from previous efforts: “It’s not another slogan, it’s not another poster, it’s not another help line to call. It’s an in-person action and I respect it, because it’s saying it’s OK to ask for help.” Robert McCleary, a shop steward at the Laborers Union, Local 66, articulated the cultural barrier the program is trying to overcome: “You have to be a tough guy — can’t let anybody know you’re letting your guard down. To bundle it up and have someone tell you ‘Shut up and go back to work’ — it’s not the right thing to do.”
Why Construction Workers Face Particular Risk
The mental health challenges facing construction workers are well-documented. The work is physically punishing, and chronic pain is a major driver of substance abuse and depression. Job insecurity — construction work is inherently project-based and seasonal — creates financial stress that compounds psychological pressure. Workplace injuries and the grief that can follow a colleague’s death on the job are occupational hazards that workers are expected to absorb without complaint. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented the disproportionately high suicide rate in the construction industry and the risk factors that drive it.
The Role of Unions in Mental Health
The involvement of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York — the umbrella organization representing most of the city’s construction unions — is significant. Unions have existing infrastructure for member assistance, health benefits, and peer networks that make them natural partners for mental health programming. The Cornell ILR School has a long history of research and training at the intersection of labor and worker wellbeing.
Resources and Next Steps
Workers or family members seeking mental health support can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) also provides free, confidential assistance for mental health and substance use issues 24 hours a day. The Building Trades Peer Support Network represents a recognition by union leadership that caring for workers’ mental health is as essential as negotiating wages and benefits. As the program expands, it may offer a model for other industries grappling with the same invisible crisis.
