Representatives from a local union deployed a giant
inflatable rat on Main Street in front of Ursinus last week to protest what
they see as insufficient employment standards by the contractor hired to work
on the Innovation and Discovery Center (IDC).
IBEW Local 98, a union representing electrical workers in
Philadelphia and throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, says that despite
repeated efforts at negotiation, Ursinus decided against using a contractor
that employed union members.
According to Tom Lepara, a business representative for
the union, this is a problem because the union works to secure fair payment and
thorough training for their members. The union has over 4,000 members, and
wants to work to guarantee that local workers are employed at Ursinus.
An IBEW handbill, addressed explicitly to Ursinus
students, claims that UC “allows its buildings to be built and renovated by
construction contractors who refuse to give pensions and complete healthcare
plans to their employees and don’t require their employees to be properly
educated in their trade.”
Kinsley Construction, the firm contracted to lead the
IDC, denied the union’s allegations.
The Grizzly reached out to Kinsley Construction’s
management and they had to following to say about accusations that Local 98 had
against them:
“It seems to [Kinsley Construction] that this whole
situation is really about the fact that this job is being completed by
non-union construction companies. Local 98 appears to believe that they are the
only construction workers that are trained and paid a living wage. Kinsley is
proud of our well-trained and skilled workforce. We pay our employees
competitive wages and give excellent benefits including 401(k) and health
insurance. Kinsley also seeks to ensure that our
subcontractors perform at the highest quality and in a
safe and professional manner. Based on these principles, Kinsley has
consistently achieved outstanding results for our customers for 50 years.”
Kinsley subcontracted local firm Brothers Electric for
the electrical work on the project. A representative from Brothers confirmed
this, but they did not respond to repeated requests for further comment as of
press time.
Lepera and other union members have been distributing the
handbills on Main Street in front of campus since the beginning of the semester
explaining their complaints.
As for the rat? It’s a common tactic for unions to
signify their displeasure with a business’ hiring practices.
“We felt like we wanted to make a statement and get
people’s attention,” said Lepera, standing on Main Street and handing out
handbills to passersby on Friday, Feb. 3.
When asked for a comment, President Brock Blomberg stated
in an email:
“As you know, members of the union have been here a few
days and we support their right to express themselves in a peaceful and
responsible manner. We chose Kinsley Construction after an exhaustive search
and vetting process that included reference checks. It is a nationally
recognized firm that has completed several complicated projects at colleges and
universities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. The electrical work is managed
through Kinsley and is part of the contract.”
Lepera said that, thanks to the rat, they’ve attracted a
lot more attention and been able to distribute more handbills.
Lepera said that the union is devoted to education—so
much so that he says their apprenticeship program is the only one in the
country that is college-accredited. He said he couldn’t understand, therefore,
how Ursinus could go elsewhere for their work.
In a previous interview about the handbills, Bob
Cresswell, assistant business manager for the union, said that he didn’t see
how a school as expensive as Ursinus would not be willing to use their members.
“They’re not afraid to raise tuition,” said Cresswell,
“but they neglect paying proper wages and benefits to the people of this area.”
Still, Cresswell said that the union admires Ursinus, and
hopes to form a long-lasting partnership with them for future projects.
“We believe in what [Ursinus] does with their education,
but we feel like we’re being neglected in what we do,” he said. “The new
management of Local 98 really wants to get involved in the community, and we
have,” he continued, citing recent projects in Norristown and work with Habitat
for Humanity. He said they hope that Ursinus can be the next way for them to
become closer with the community.
Lepera said that he anticipates continued action by the
union, and that they will likely be back over the next few weeks with more
handbills and the rat.
Source: The
Grizzly
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