Union carpenters strikes over contract with nonunion workers at Bucks County Justice Center

Union carpenters began striking at the new Bucks County Justice Center on Monday. The carpenters said the county is using a company that does not pay the prevailing wage.

Members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters set up a picket line Monday at the entrances to the new Bucks County Justice Center, protesting a $1.3 million furniture contract with a company that does not pay prevailing wages.

Mike Morrow, a representative of the union’s Local 1462, said the contract with Corporate Facilities Inc., of Philadelphia, is hurting all workers when it fails to pay a “fair wage.”

“We’re protecting our wages,” said Morrow, as he and a handful of fellow union carpenters walked along the Main Street entrance of the building, which is still under construction.

Another dozen sign-carrying union members circled along the rear entrance, where delivery trucks come and go.

“We’ve been working years and years to establish fair wages,” said Morrow. “Corporations are making millions and the working man is left scraping and scratching.”

Kevin Morrow, a union representative and Mike Morrow’s brother, said about 50 to 60 union members chose not to work at the courthouse Monday. The strike is likely to continue, he said, if workers decide not to cross the picket line. “We don’t tell anyone what to do,” added Morrow.

Bucks County spokesman Chris Edwards said the county has no role in the dispute.

“This is between the union and the vendor,” said Edwards. “The contract did not have to be prevailing wage because it doesn’t involve construction or anything physically attached to the building.”

Earlier this year, the county hired CFI, which in turn subcontracted the job to Cutting Edge Installations in Huntingdon Valley, to provide desks, workstations and other furnishings for the $85 million center.

Bob Smith, a project manager with CFI, said his company is providing nonunion workers, per the bid that the firm provided to Bucks County. He said his company also subcontracts with companies that use union labor.

Charley Martin, chairman of the Bucks County Commissioners, said he didn’t know why the labor dispute was arising now.

The nine-story courthouse project has been under construction for about three years, using both union and nonunion contracts, he said Monday.

The county, said Martin, awarded the contract in February to the lowest responsible bidder.

The furniture contract includes installation and limited warranties on the 462 workstations, which have overhead storage, wardrobe closets and task lighting.

Last week, Smith said, the county asked him to submit another quote using union employees. Kevin Morrow said he was aware CFI had contacted a union contractor for a quote on the justice center job.

Martin said he did not contact CFI and did not want to speculate on who may have asked for a quote using union labor.

Source: The Intelligencer