A few years ago, “shame on” signs started popping up at
places such as the YMCA, Fresh Market and Subaru of Wichita.
The United Brotherhood Of Carpenters And Joiners Of
America Local 201 has people hold the signs, which usually say there’s a “labor
dispute,” when businesses have construction done through nonunion labor.
The union now has a sign most days at 1330 E. First St.,
which is notable in that the address is home to six other unions. That includes
the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing
Ironworkers Local No. 24, which is the specific union that the Carpenters union
is protesting.
“They can have their banners out there till the cows come
home,” says Mark Roby, business agent for the Ironworkers union. “I can sleep
well at night.”
Roby does, though, have several issues with the
Carpenters union and its protest.
According to a flier, the Carpenters union is upset over
the construction of a new 8,800-square-foot building at 3555 N. Santa Fe that
will be used for Ironworkers training. The flier says that a subcontractor for
the general contractor “does not meet area labor standards for all their
carpenter craft workers, including fully paying for family health benefits.”
“I’m desecrating American democracy according to that,”
Roby says.
Except the Ironworkers aren’t the ones building the
building, he says. The separate 501(c)(3) Apprenticeship Training Trust owns
the building and will lease it to the Ironworkers for more training space. Roby
also is coordinator of the trust.
Carpenters representative Chad Mabin didn’t return calls
for comment, but in a previous story about the “shame on” signs, he said, “We
don’t do comments or anything like that.”
Roby says he looked up what Mabin makes, which according
to 2013 Department of Labor documents is $158,773.
“I just figure that a guy making 158 grand a year would
have enough savvy to figure out who he’s protesting against,” Roby says.
In the past, he says there were several Wichita general
contractors that used union labor exclusively, but he says that changed years
ago. Roby says the main consideration for the new training facility is that the
companies doing the work would be from Wichita.
“We made the decision we’re going to spend our money
locally,” Roby says.
Michael Cathcart of Cathcart Architects was selected as
the architect, and Snodgrass & Sons Construction was chosen as the general
contractor.
Roby says he believes it makes more sense to develop
relationships with contractors, who then may choose to work with unions. He
says coercion does not get anywhere.
“I honestly don’t know whose bright idea it was,” Roby
says. “Short and sweet, it doesn’t work. … It’s like the little boy who cries
wolf. You see them all so often around here.”
He says it may work in other markets, “but here in Doo
Dah, nah. It’s not going to do it.”
Roby says the tactic makes people mad, which he says is a
concern for unions in general.
“Sometimes we’re our own worst enemies,” he says.
“The public perception in this part of the country is
that we’re all Jimmy Hoffa. I don’t drive a Cadillac and wear $500 suits, as
you might see.”
Not that Roby wants anyone to think he and the
Ironworkers aren’t tough.
“We don’t play well with others,” he says, explaining that
that’s why they need a separate building for training.
“We’re ironworkers. I’m sorry. We’re a pretty proud
bunch,” Roby says. “There’s less than 150,000 of us (nationally) left to do
some of the most dangerous work around. Gravity hurts.”
In Roby’s office, his desk sits below a sign that says,
“What you call Hell ironworkers call a day’s work.”
“We’re fairly well-paid Kelly girls or poorly paid
prostitutes because all we do is sell a skill,” he says.
Roby says to his knowledge, the Carpenters union and its
protestors “haven’t had a bit of success.”
“The way you stay in business is being competitive. Doing
it better, faster, safer. That’s it.”
Source: Kansas.com
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