New York City’s construction workers are getting younger and more diverse.

That’s a big change from the era when minorities had difficulty joining New York’s construction unions. As of 2015, more than one-third of the 253,984 men and women who work in New York City’s construction industry were Hispanic. The number of Blacks and Asians also increased, while the number of people who self-identified as White continued to fall, according to an analysis of 2015 Census data by the NY Building Congress.

The survey counted both union and non-union labor, as well as participation by “off the books” workers. Of those who responded to the survey question about citizenship status, 60% said they were not United States citizens.

“The building community, working with our partners in government, must do our best to ensure that these workers are getting the wages, benefits, and training they deserve, especially those who may be working on the fringes of the industry,’ said New York Building Congress President and CEO Carlo A. Scissura.

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