The city’s laborers union is gearing up to endorse one of the city’s many mayoral hopefuls.

The Mason Tenders’ District Council, which is poised to announce its pick for mayor this month, has asked candidates to commit to something Mayor Bill de Blasio has not: hiring more union laborers on affordable housing projects.

Built into this question is another: How does each of the candidates plan to address the proliferation of what the union calls “body shops”?

The question is part of the union’s broader campaign against such shops, which it defines as nonunion companies that supply laborers to general contractors at low wages with limited benefits. The union has argued that such companies prey on vulnerable workers with limited choices, particularly formerly incarcerated workers. These shops, according to the union, are able to use the threat of violating parole and re-incarceration to keep wages low.

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