Cement and concrete workers picket in front of high profile construction sites as part of a citywide strike. For the second time in less than a week, construction workers rally outside the Barclays Center construction site.
Union concrete workers from the Atlantic Yards site picketed at the site entrance at Sixth Avenue and Pacific Street, joining a citywide strike that members of the Cement and Concrete Workers District Council have threatened since the contract covering the workers expired on July 1st.
Since then, cement workers have continued work at both the World Trade Center and Atlantic Yards projects without a contract, pouring concrete floors.
Since then, cement workers have continued work at both the World Trade Center and Atlantic Yards projects without a contract, pouring concrete floors.
“We’re going to stand out here as long as it takes,” said one union member, who declined to give his name due to fears of retaliation. “They don’t want to let us work for a decent wage.”
The Cement League, a contract association that represents contractors like Commodore Construction, which handles the Atlantic Yards site, has asked union concrete workers for a 25-cents-an-hour decrease over a three-year contract. The Cement League, Commodore and the Cement and Concrete Workers District Council have all declined to speak with the press or issue comments about the strike.
Picketers at both construction sites were demanding a wage increase of $1.50 an hour, on top of the approximately $35 an hour they made under the previous contract. Negotiations are ongoing, but the picketing workers say they plan to continuing striking until a deal is reached.
By Peter Coyne / TheElectricWeb.com
August 2nd, 2011
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