After dozens have died on the job, the city's construction unions have been calling for more safety training for their industry. The city council is about to give it to them, even as the real estate industry calls foul. NY1 Political Reporter Courtney Gross has the story.

The signs of construction are around many corners in the city.

"It's never enough training," said union construction worker Jose Villegas. "Every day, we are learning something different and something new."

It's a dangerous job, which is why he told NY1 that his industry could always use more safety training. 

But go a few blocks away at a different job site, and you'll find a non-union worker with a different take. 

"I think they are trying to secure their job, because as long as you can say, 'Yeah, everybody needs more training,' they will get it and it won't even come out their check, while I have to do it independently," non-union construction worker Jihad Allah said.

On Wednesday, construction unions may have won the day.

Late Tuesday night, the city council released a new version of a bill to require at least 40 hours of safety training for workers on construction sites across the city.

Just hours later on Wednesday afternoon, a city council committee approved it.

The bill creates a uniform safety standard for the construction industry that some say favors union workers.

"What I said is, 'We are going to deal with a minimum amount of safety and we're going to make sure everybody has access,'" Brooklyn City Councilman Jumaane Williams said. "And we did that."

The bill has been debated for months, drumming up controversy and putting unions against the powerful real estate industry, which says the legislation could put non-union workers out of work.

"This bill provides a safety training course that many people who are working right now will not be able to affordable, because there is no funding for this," said Carl Hum of the Real Estate Board of New York.

"The purpose of the bill is not union versus non-union," said Gary Labarbera of the Building and Construction Trades Council. "The purpose of this bill is to protect all construction workers and the public, for that matter."

The bill's sponsor said he has secured $5 million to help pay for training for workers who can't afford it. Some wonder whether that will be enough.

"I have no choice but to try to afford it," non-union construction worker Jihad Allah said.

Despite this opposition, the city council is still expected to move forward with this legislation. A full vote is scheduled for next week.