A union business manager wants to know about new construction and renovation work in their territory as early as possible — to line up members for upcoming jobs, and to flag projects being staffed with non-union contractors while there's still time to act. Checking the city's permit portal manually, project by project, means missing filings until a crew is already on-site.
The business manager sets BlockWatcher to cover the union's jurisdiction — a set of blocks, a corridor, or a broader area — rather than a single property.
New building and renovation permits show up in the feed as soon as they're filed, well before construction actually starts, alongside the filer and project scope.
A permit filing is a lead. A crew already on-site is a missed opportunity.
With early notice, the business manager can reach out about staffing a job before it's awarded, or flag a permit tied to a contractor with a history of avoiding union labor — while the project is still in the planning stage, not after it's underway.
Union business managers and organizers tracking upcoming construction work across a territory, and trade councils monitoring contractor activity ahead of project bids.