The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in New York City chose a non-union contractor for a $20,000 renovation of their Brooklyn headquarters, angering local labor groups. Paul Capurso, executive secretary treasurer of the NYC District Council of Carpenters, criticized this decision, saying it shows a gap between DSA's rhetoric supporting workers and actual actions. The article highlights that despite often backing union-supported candidates and causes, the DSA did not hire any union workers for the renovation project or comment on why they made this choice.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) recently renovated its headquarters on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn without hiring any union workers. The $20,000 renovation was carried out by Three and A Half Brothers LLC, a company that confirmed it is not affiliated with any unions and does not employ union labor. This decision upset local union leaders who criticized the DSA for failing to practice what they preach regarding worker support. Paul Capurso, executive secretary treasurer of NYC District Council of Carpenters, noted that the DSA has built its political brand on supporting workers but missed an opportunity to hire union members from Brooklyn when renovating their space. The permit applications show the renovations included adding walls and air conditioning units along with installing a new floor for the $7,000-per-month office space located in what locals call “commie corridor.”
Written for “DSA Renovation Controversy” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 14494: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-17
The supposedly pro-labor Democratic Socialists of America snubbed union workers on a $20,000 renovation of its Brooklyn headquarters — a move one leader said “tells you everything you need to know” about the lefty group.
asserted
you → snub → group
A review of permits filed with the city revealed that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s comrades in the New York City branch of the DSA failed to hire any union workers to do any of the upgrades on their new digs on Bedford Avenue in the heart of Brooklyn’s “commie corridor.”
asserted
comrades → file → corridor
Instead, the remodel — which consists of adding walls, AC units and a “new floor,” according to the paperwork — for the $7,000-a-month space was being done by Three and A Half Brothers LLC.
uncertain
which → consist → Three
The contractor, who created the LLC just weeks before the work permits were approved in July, confirmed to The Post that he is not a union member and does not hire union workers.
asserted
he → create → workers
The snub didn’t sit well with union leaders.
asserted
snub → sit → leaders
“The DSA has built an entire political brand on standing with workers,” said Paul Capurso, the executive secretary treasurer of NYC District Council of Carpenters.
asserted
Capurso → build → Carpenters
“Then they got the chance to actually hire union workers — carpenters who live in this city, earn real wages, and have real benefits — and they passed.
asserted
they → get → benefits
That tells you everything you need to know about the difference between talking about workers and actually standing with them.
asserted
you → tell → them
The new office space is just one of the two new socialist meeting spots, after they also added a $15,000-per-month space in a 14-story building on West 35th Street in Hudson Yards.
asserted
they → add → Yards
The cold shoulder to Big Apple’s carpenters’ union comes despite the labor group often backing DSA candidates for office, including most recently Diane Moreno, who nabbed Mamdani’s former state Assembly seat in Queens in February.
asserted
who → come → February
Mamdani left the seat vacant when he became mayor this year.
They also repeatedly endorsed one of the most prominent local DSA members, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who just recently returned as a dues-paying member to the chapter.
asserted
who → leave → chapter
The DSA did not comment on their slight.
asserted
DSA → comment → slight
The New York City and Vicinity District Council of Carpenters endorsed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo over Mamdani during the Democratic Party’s mayoral primary last year.
asserted
Council → endorse → primary
The anti-capitalist cadre has made their support for unions a core pillar of the campaigns to draw in more socialist members to their cause — often picketing with striking workers.
asserted
support → make → workers
Even as mayor, Mamdani stood with NYC doormen as they authorized a strike earlier this year.
asserted
they → stand → strike
But it’s not the first time the New York City chapter has taken the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do approach to dealing with unions.
asserted
I → ’ → unions
NYC DSA co-chair Gustavo Gordillo didn’t hire a single union worker for a $1.4 million renovation of his Bed-Stuy row home, which was bought by his millionaire parents.
asserted
which → hire → parents
Gordillo also spent most of the year cosplaying a union electrician despite being fired in March after blowing off work for an extended period of time, according to the union.
uncertain
Gordillo → spend → union
The 38-year-old nepo baby even gave his comrades a sob story over the summer when locking up a cushy six-figure gig with the DSA about how his responsibilities as co-chair since Mamdani’s victory in 2025 made it too much to work his working-class job — but failed to mention he’d already been canned.
asserted
he → give → job
His social media, where his handle remained @uniongustavo despite being unmasked as a non-union member, still describes him as a union electrician.
asserted
handle → remain → electrician
He also bragged online in May last year about his “old local” with a teary-eyed emoji when retweeting a post from Teamsters Local 804.
uncertain
He → brag → Local
The union told The Post last week that Gordillo only worked as a UPS employee for “barely” six months in 2023.
asserted
Gordillo → tell → 2023
“DSA alleged ideals are just as superficial as Gustavo’s fake union job,” one Democratic operative railed.
asserted
operative → allege → job
“I guess they have to make room in their budget for Gustavo’s payroll instead of using that money for union workers.”
asserted
they → guess → workers
The Aporia
