Workers protest non-union construction

The Lubavitch House has been a center for Jewish life at the University since 1980. However, recent picketing efforts by Philadelphia union workers have disrupted the House's $2.8 million expansion project.

For the past two weeks, picketers from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 98, have protested the use of non-union workers on the project, disrupting house activities, as well as residential life.

"Everyday they wake me up at 8 a.m. . including Saturdays," said Pine Street resident and 2008 College graduate Eric Leventhal.

"They're disturbing the peace of the entire neighborhood . it's incredibly inconsiderate on their part," he added.

Union picketers have been using megaphones to chant and criticize Lubavitch House Director Ephraim Levin for choosing E. Allen Reeves, Inc., as the general contractors for the project.

"E. Allen Reeves consistently uses subcontractors who do not receive medical benefits for their wives and families [and who have] unfair wages and no retirement plan," said Robert Bark, business agent for the union.

The general contractors were chosen from an open and public bidding process, and the Lubavitch House's goal was to simply "take the best bid we could get," said Levin.

The expansion project is not funded by the University and depends entirely upon support from alumni and private donations.

Levin emphasized that finances were the foremost concern in the contractor selection process.

"We have an obligation to our donors to do the project in the most economical way possible," he said.

The picketing has not yet interfered with any actual construction, and the project is still expected to be completed in December 2008.

Due to complaints that noise was interrupting religious services, Bark and his volunteers have stopped using the bullhorns - but only for now.

"Our fight is with E. Allen Reeves, but our fight [will also] be with the electrical contractor when he comes on the job," said Bark.

This means that the bullhorn will return, and not only will it broadcast the union's protests at 8 a.m. - "the best time to get attention," said Bark - the protesting will move to Spruce Street and overlap with the start of classes in September.

While Bark does "100 percent feel bad" about disrupting the neighbors, he nonetheless said he hopes his union's efforts inspire the public to "join in the fight" for fair wages and benefits for workers, he said.

But for residents like Leventhal, keeping the peace is a higher priority.

"Regardless of whether [the picketers] are right or wrong, there's no need to terrorize the neighborhood," he said.

While construction takes place at 4032 and 4034 Spruce St. - the permanent location of the Lubavitch House and future Perelman Center for Jewish Life - Lubavitch House activities are functioning out of a temporary location on Pine Street.

Comments (8)

I'm surprised you did not get or include a quote from the E. Allen Reeves on this issue. Unions often participate in this type of street theatre without any merit to the claims they leverage against their non-union competition. They often outsource real union member picketers with homeless people or non-union member temporary workers (rent-a-pikckets)at minimum wage or slightly higher wages and no benefits to protest wages and benefits of contractors (kind of ironic, eh). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/23/AR2007072302011.html I support folks protesting and standing up for what they believe in but it should be done in a sensitive and peaceful manner. The public should know that the goal of these protests is to make construction owners think twice about hiring non-union labor. Also, there is an element of intimidation directed at non-union contractors, their employees, and the construction users in these campaigns. Often, equipment is sabotaged, workers are followed home and intimidated by union members but they are too afraid to come forward and press charges, and construction work is intentionally damaged. This is all part of an deliberate and elaborate plan to monopolize construction work for union members.

[QUOTE id="431376a2-15dd-4033-9c8c-c103fd4959c3"]I'm surprised you did not get or include a quote from the E. Allen Reeves on this issue. Unions often participate in this type of street theatre without any merit to the claims they leverage against their non-union competition. They often outsource real union member picketers with homeless people or non-union member temporary workers (rent-a-pikckets)at minimum wage or slightly higher wages and no benefits to protest wages and benefits of contractors (kind of ironic, eh). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/23/AR2007072302011.html I support folks protesting and standing up for what they believe in but it should be done in a sensitive and peaceful manner. The public should know that the goal of these protests is to make construction owners think twice about hiring non-union labor. Also, there is an element of intimidation directed at non-union contractors, their employees, and the construction users in these campaigns. Often, equipment is sabotaged, workers are followed home and intimidated by union members but they are too afraid to come forward and press charges, and construction work is intentionally damaged. This is all part of an deliberate and elaborate plan to monopolize construction work for union members.[/QUOTE] ah, but there is a point that is not mentioned, the picket where nonunion member protesters was in another part of the country by a different union (Indiana-Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters), and there is a tremendous amount of merit to the claims by picketers. I know, I had to go through a 5 year apprenticeship to learn my trade. This also neglects to mention that most non-union contractors are the ones who are hurting the public. How you may ask? 1. Employee Misclassification- an illegal mathod that allows the general contractor and every employee under them to be known as their own subcontractor. That means the employee will get a lump sum payment that isn't taxed, and leaves the burden of tax payment, insurance such as workman's compensation, etc. up to the employees to pay themselves. So I ask, who do you think gets to foot the bill when John P. Non-Union winds up in the hospital with a broken foot? The people who pay the taxes, thats you and I, well I'm assuming you. 2. Even more dire is the use of undocumented workers on almost all big nonunion construction projects. How is that bad you might ask? Well, firstly, they have absolutely no rights, must work in pre-1900 conditions, with no withheld taxes, no safety equipment, no training, no overtime pay, forced overtime, the possibility of not being payed at all, work in fear of the "boss" making a call to immigration, work for as little as $7 an hour off the books, keep their mouth shut if they see something dangerous, I can go on and on, the bottom line is many nonunion contractors, through lax immigration policies here in the US, are allowed, almost to the point of being encouraged, to have their own little slave class, that you and I get to subsidize their legally bound burden of responsibilities. Ensuring you go union contractors, is the absolute only way to know you are getting quality craftsmanship, a safe working environment with zero tolerance for substance abuse/unsafe working conditions and contractors that adhere to the Federal laws and standard of our United States of America. Please mote, I did not say ALL, I stated most and I have the FACTS to back it up. If this General Contractor adheres to the standards of Union Construction contractors and bid the job accordingly, then by all rights he should get the job, but if he operates his business in the same fashion as the way he tells a "factual" story(see quoted text above), which is misleading to say the least, you could imagine how his business is run. Oh yeah, I'm a pretty damn active for a labor activist, I have never sabotaged any property that didn't belong to me, I have never hurt another human unless I was assaulted, I have stood on many picket lines, I also stand for and with ALL American workers. If this guy really wants to take care of his workers, he would try to get them into a union, better yet, if they are "legal' to work in the US, I'm sure they would want to be union themselves. Joe from, http://JoesUnionReview.com

Unions often participate in this type of street theatre without any merit to the claims they leverage against their non-union competition. * Interesting comment based on your personal opinion and should be presented as such. If they were OFTEN picketing without "any merit," wouldn't there be cause for a claim with the National Labor Relations Board? I don't know of many unions that picket without a legal cause and the unions that do are brought up on charges with the NLRB. "They often outsource real union member picketers with homeless people or non-union member temporary workers" * I believe that the article that you are refering to mentions one union, not all unions, that refer to this practice and none in the Philadelphia Marketplace. "I support folks protesting and standing up for what they believe in but it should be done in a sensitive and peaceful manner." * Many groups, Green Peace and other international groups, use the media and similar tactics to gain recognition. Doesn't make it right, just makes it reality. "The public should know that the goal of these protests is to make construction owners think twice about hiring non-union labor. Also, there is an element of intimidation directed at non-union contractors, their employees, and the construction users in these campaigns. Often, equipment is sabotaged, workers are followed home and intimidated by union members but they are too afraid to come forward and press charges, and construction work is intentionally damaged. This is all part of an deliberate and elaborate plan to monopolize construction work for union members." You sure do know alot about the union construction industry, its users, contractors and trade unions. But really, how much of this is your personal opinion based on your limited exposure and knowledge?

Unions are a bunch of thugs. If union workers are so much better than the competition, why is it that unions have to bully developers into hiring them? Quit whining and shut up. If you want work, you earn it by superior skill and competitive pricing, not temper tantrums and intimidation. Someone oughta rough these goons up a bit next time they show up at 8am with a bullhorn.

The problem with Philly construction trades unions is they are almost exclusively white males who live in the suburbs. The father to son lineage in these unions often means others are locked out. The value they add does not come near to their pay scale. The injustice of a mostly minority city subsidizing overpaid suburbanites does not get much press. Most of these upstanding Americans then go out and buy heavy-duty pickup trucks to carry their lunchboxes back to their piece of the American Dream.

Wait till the E.Allen Reeves company tries to collect on their final payments. The Lubavitch are famous for sticking contractors for their bills. They would rather litigate and cry antisemitism then pay "full price". They also use mainly Hasidim workman but maybe not available in this community.And lastly if the union really wants to shut the project down they should picket Ron Perlman's house in NY. Contact me for the address! They are an egregious group and have made a business out of a glorified soup kitchen.

Aww, poor Unionites mad that they can't compete for a job in an open bidding? Do they have a permit to demonstrate like this in a residential neighborhood? Why doesn't someone just call in a noise complaint every time they wake people up?

Palum that is a point we should call in the noise complaint every morning, cause i know it is annoying the crap out of me. Its sad that the Electrical union well the union in general have to get so upset about a non-union company getting a single job in the city, if they feel they are so much better then a non-union company they should be able to go out and find their own work and not have to come bother with us. I dont know how everyone else feels but union or non-union we are all out there to just make a living and support ourself and if you feel you are so much better then us think that but your wrong!

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