Matter of Plumbers Local Union No. 1 v. New York City Dept. of Bldgs.

2024 NY Slip Op 32840(U)
New York Supreme Court, New York County·Decided August 12, 2024·No. Index No. 160502/2022·Unpublished

Opinion

Matter of Plumbers Local Union No. 1 v New York City Dept. of Bldgs.

2024 NY Slip Op 32840(U)

August 12, 2024

Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: Index No. 160502/2022 Judge: John J. Kelley

Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various New York State and local government sources, including the New York State Unified Court System's eCourts Service. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication.

NYSCEF DOC. NO. 81 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 08/13/2024

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK NEW YORK COUNTY

PRESENT: HON. JOHN J. KELLEY PART 56M Justice

-------------------.X INDEX NO. 160502/2022 In the Matter of

MOTION DATE 07/12/2024 PLUMBERS LOCAL UNION NO. 1, UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND APPRENTICES OF THE MOTION SEQ. NO. 001 PLUMBING AND PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, and MICHAEL APUZZO

Petitioners/Plaintiffs,

-v- DECISION, ORDER, AND JUDGMENT

THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS, and ACTING COMMISSIONER KAZI MIR VILENCHIK, P.E.,

Respondents/Defendants.

-------------------X The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 001) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30, 31,32,33,34,35,36, 37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49, 50, 51, 52,53, 54,55, 56, 57,58,59, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79,

80

ARTICLE 78 (BODY OR OFFICER)/X-MOTION were read on this motion to/for DISMISS

In this hybrid CPLR article 78 proceeding and action for declaratory relief, the petitioners/plaintiffs (hereinafter the petitioners)---a trade union local and its highest-ranking officer---seek relief (a) in the nature of mandamus to compel the respondent/defendant New York City Department of Buildings (DOB} to enforce the gas, plumbing, and welding worker qualifications of Admin. Code of City of N.Y. (hereinafter Administrative Code or Admin. Code)§ 28-423.1 and Fuel Gas Code (hereinafter FGC) §§ 404.21-404.21.1, (b) in the nature of prohibition preventing the DOB from granting gas work authorization requests that do not comport with those Administrative Code and FGC provisions, and (c) for judicial review of the DOB's determinations that already had approved gas work authorization requests for landowners who employed workers who did not comport with those provisions. They also seek

a judgment declaring that the DOB is obligated, in the future, strictly to comply with those worker 16050212022 PLUMBERS LOCAL UNION NO. 1, UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN AND Page 1 of 12 APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING AND PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA ET AL vs. THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS ET AL Motion No. 001

[* 1] 1 of 12

NYSCEF DOC. NO. 81 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 08/13/2024

qualification provisions of the Administrative Code and FGC in granting authorizations to connect natural gas service to premises, and to deny such authorizations where the workers hired to connect gas service appurtenances do not meet the worker qualification standards set forth therein. The respondents/defendants (hereinafter the respondents) cross-move pursuant to CPLR 7804(f), 3211 (a)(3), and 3211 (a)(7) to dismiss the petition for the petitioners' lack of capacity, lack of standing, and failure to state a cause of action. In an order dated December 14, 2023, this court granted the petitioners' motion (MOT SEQ 002) for leave to serve supplemental papers in opposition to the respondents' cross motion. The cross motion is granted, the petition/complaint is dismissed, and the proceeding/action is dismissed.

Admin. Code § 28-423.1 provides as follows:

"For the purposes of this article, 'gas work' means work covered by section 101.2 of the New York city fuel gas code, where such work is required by this code to be performed under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber, provided that the term 'gas work' shall not include periodic inspections required pursuant to article 318 of chapter 3 of title 28 of the administrative code.

It shall be unlawful to perform gas work unless such work is performed by:

"1. A licensed master plumber; or

"2. A person working under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber if such person:

"2.1. Holds a full gas work qualification pursuant to this article; or

"2.2. Holds a limited gas work qualification pursuant to this article and is performing such work under the direct supervision of (i) a person who holds a full gas work qualification pursuant to this article or (ii) a licensed master plumber.

"Exception: The provisions of this article shall not apply to gas work performed, serviced and maintained by utility corporations and subject to the jurisdiction of the New York state public service commission."

FGC § 101.2 articulates the same definition of "gas work" as is set forth in the Administrative Code. FGC § 404.21 provides that "[g]as work shall be performed by individuals possessing the qualifications set forth in Article 28-423 of the Administrative Code. Welders must be qualified in accordance with Section 404.21.1." FGC § 404.21.1, in turn, reads as follows:

160502/2022 PLUMBERS LOCAL UNION NO. 1, UNITED ASSOCIATION OF JOURNEYMEN ANO Page 2 of 12 APPRENTICES OF THE PLUMBING AND PIPEFITTING INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES ANO CANADA ET AL vs. THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS ET AL Motion No. 001

[* 2] 2 of 12

NYSCEF DOC. NO. 81 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 08/13/2024

"Welder's qualifications.

"Welders installing gas piping within buildings at any pressure shall comply with the following:

"1. Welders shall be qualified for all pipe sizes, wall thicknesses and all positions in accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section IX. Requalification of welders is required on an annual basis and when requested by the commissioner.

"2. Welder qualification testing shall be performed by an approved agency and the inspector witnessing the test shall be an authorized AWS Certified Welding Inspector. Radiographic test specimens shall be evaluated by a radiographic inspector having a minimum radiography qualification of Level II in accordance with the ASNT, Document No. SNT-

TC-1 A, Supplement A.

"3. Copies of the certified welder qualification reports shall be maintained by both the approved agency and the licensed master plumber employing the welder(s) for at least six years and shall be made available to the department upon request.

"4. The approved agency shall submit certified welder qualification reports to the department upon successful qualification of a welder and when requested by the commissioner.

"5. The licensed master plumber employing the welder(s) shall submit a statement to the department including who welded the gas piping along with a copy(s) of the certified welder qualification report(s) witnessed by a representative of the licensed master plumber, at the time of the first roughing inspection.

"6. Requalification of a welder is required should the welder fail to maintain welder's continuity every six months. The licensed master plumber employing the welder shall maintain a welder continuity log and the log shall be made available to the department upon request."

The petitioners alleged that the DOB has violated these code provisions by approving gas work for buildings in which that work would not be, or was not anticipated to be, performed by persons who met these qualifications. The institutional petitioner is a union, and the individual petitioner is that union's manager. They alleged that the union represented many members who hold gas work qualification cards issued by the DOB, and who are certified to weld gas piping, and that the union trained, tested, and qualified members for gas pipe welding. The petitioners further asserted that union members have lost opportunities for work, and

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