Art. I, § 17

Labor not a commodity; hours and wages in public work; right to organize and bargain collectively

Right Individual Rights Art. I · Bill of Rights

Official text rightpowerlimitif conditionlegal term

Labor of human beings is not a commodity nor an article of commerce and shall never be so considered or construed.

No laborer, worker or mechanic, in the employ of a contractor or sub-contractor engaged in the performance of any public work, shall be permitted to work more than eight hours in any day or more than five days in any week, except in cases of extraordinary emergency; nor shall he or she be paid less than the rate of wages prevailing in the same trade or occupation in the locality within the state where such public work is to be situated, erected or used.

Employees shall have the right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing.

4 provisions here

Labor of human beings is not a commodity nor an article of commerce and shall never be so considered or construed limit
Forbids
- Considering or construing labor of human beings as a commodity or an article of commerce
No laborer, worker or mechanic, in the employ of a contractor or sub-contractor engaged in the performance of any public work, shall be permitted to work more than eight hours in any day or more than five days in any week limit
Who holds it
- Laborers, workers and mechanics in the employ of a contractor or sub-contractor engaged in the performance of any public work
Forbids
- Permitting such a laborer, worker or mechanic to work more than eight hours in any day or more than five days in any week
Exceptions
- except in cases of extraordinary emergency
nor shall he or she be paid less than the rate of wages prevailing in the same trade or occupation in the locality within the state where such public work is to be situated, erected or used limit
Who holds it
- Laborers, workers and mechanics in the employ of a contractor or sub-contractor engaged in the performance of any public work
Forbids
- Paying such a laborer, worker or mechanic less than the rate of wages prevailing in the same trade or occupation in the locality
Employees shall have the right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing right
Who holds it
- Employees

Simplified explanation

Labor of human beings is not a commodity or article of commerce. Laborers on public work for contractors may not work more than eight hours a day or five days a week, except in extraordinary emergency, nor be paid less than prevailing wages. Employees have the right to organize and bargain collectively.

Official page on nysenate.gov ↗