Thousands of union construction workers gathered Wednesday at the NFL HQ in New York City to protest the founder of Related Companies, the developer behind the large-scale redevelopment of Hudson Yards. Wearing t-shirts that read "Step down Steve Ross," the workers were calling on the organization to remove Ross, who is also the owner of the Miami Dolphins, from the NFL's Social & Racial Justice Committee.

Organized by the Building and Construction Trades Council and its "Count Me In" campaign, the city's 100,000-member unionized workforce has been protesting the development company's use of nonunion labor at Hudson Yards. Wednesday's action at the NFL Headquarters—where over 50 construction workers were arrested after temporarily blocking traffic on Park Avenue—was followed the next day with further protests held outside of Hudson Yards. The union has been holding demonstrations at the site every week since last year.

"Steve Ross is aware of what’s going on at his job sites and condoning that activity" Gary LaBarbera, President of the BCTC, told the Real Deal—adding that Wednesday's rally "is connected to labor issues and the treatment of workers."

Earlier this year, the NFL put together a joint player and owner committee to focus on social-justice issues in an attempt to address the controversy surrounding the practice of kneeling during the national anthem. Ross was placed on the committee, a move seen as hypocritical by the unionized construction industry which accuses Ross of remaining silent on the issues of racism, sexism and union busting on his construction sites.

Among the allegations against Ross and Related Companies, are accusations of sexual harassment by two employees of the site's construction subcontractor Trade Off. Further, the company and BCTC are currently embattled in multiple lawsuits with one alleging that the union's labor practices drove up Related's development costs.