Thread: AFL-CIO tries to attract construction workers

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=73189

AFL-CIO tries to attract construction workers
By John Yantis, Tribune
September 2, 2006
Using Labor Day and a freshly filed lawsuit as a backdrop, the Arizona AFL-CIO launched a campaign Friday to organize workers who build homes in the Valley.


A group of 50 or so employees and union organizers gathered outside the north Scottsdale office of Pulte Homes to announce the filing of a federal lawsuit that alleges Bean Drywall, a Pulte subcontractor, hasn’t been paying overtime for four years.

At a new conference, several Bean employees who hang, tape and finish wallboard spoke about harsh working conditions, including lack of water on the job, low pay and few benefits.

“We cannot afford to buy one of the homes we build,” said Rogelio Perez Barajas through an interpreter. He said 95 percent of Bean’s drywallers are immigrants.

The class action complaint alleges Bean is violating the Fair Labor Standards Act at seven Pulte job sites in the state. It says employees were paid on a per day basis without regard to the number of buildings completed or the number of hours worked in a week.

It also says Bean, which employs more than 600, failed to keep accurate records of hours worked. The employees estimate they work 15 to 20 hours a week of overtime. Union organizers said the workers make between $6 and $9 an hour.

“They’re not obeying the law,” said Gerald Barrett, a lawyer who filed the suit. “In this country, people who work over 40 hours a week are entitled to time-and-a-half. That is not happening.”

While the suit does not allege Pulte committed any unlawful act, it has a moral obligation to hire responsible contractors, he said.

Pulte referred calls to Bean Drywall.

“We were just made aware of this situation this morning (Friday),” said Jacque Petroulakis, Pulte spokeswoman. “We’ve asked Bean to keep us apprised and to talk to the employees so they resolve this amicably.”

Julie Pace, a partner at Ogletree Deakins who is representing Bean, said she hadn’t seen the suit. No employees at the company went to human resources or company executives concerning their pay or other issues, she said.

“They are very committed to their workers,” Pace said. “I’m not sure what the issue is yet in the lawsuit, but as soon as we can look at it, we will figure out what concerns there are and address them.”

Bean offers workers a 401(k) plan and it pays 100 percent of all of its employees’ medical insurance, Pace said.

“That’s a rarity in construction,” she said, adding the insurance is also made available to spouses and dependents. Dental insurance is also available.

The company sends out memos to ensure job sites have water at all times and superintendents buy water and Gatorade for employees, Pace said. Sick and vacation time is given to qualified employees, she said.

“Often times when people want time off, even if they don’t have any coming, they often let them take it,” Pace said. “They can take discretionary leave.”

The gathering at the Raintree Corporate Center was an effort to begin unionizing an industry with few employees who have collective bargaining power. Organizers said no large production homebuilders employ unionized labor in the Valley, but some custom homebuilders do.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for growth,” said Dana Marie Kennedy, Arizona AFL-CIO communications director.

Many contractors who do hire union employees don’t even bid some jobs because they know they can’t compete against companies who offer low wages and shoddy benefits.

“This seems to be an epidemic in the industry,” said John Smirk, business agent for the International Union of Painters and Allies Trades District Council 15. “If you want to talk about a race to the bottom, we’re there.”
Contact John Yantis by email, or phone (480) 970-2345

As a former Rank and File member of an AFL CIO affiliate, perhaps I can comment. It's commendable that the affiliate seeks to offer collective bargaining representation to non-represented employees.

Gotta be careful what we say or do. It is questionable or detrimental to offer union membership to illegals (if that's what they intend to do), given that a lot of employers give preference of hire to foreign nationals. Offering union membership to illegals "legitimizes" their crimes and status and gives them a whole host of undeserved union benefits.

If they do that, they are offering union membership to a class of people, who, together with outlaw employers, are destroying American jobs.

The illegal alien payscale is typically a quarter on the dollar. If illegals are brought up to union wages - many or most employers will still give hiring preference to illegals, given their (the employers) ingrown and festering hatred for everything America.

Opening the Rank and File membership to illegals will subvert the very structure and purpose or organized labor itself.

I cannot imagine the Rank and File membership of any union welcoming enemies of the United States.

If anyone knows the positions (vis a vis illegals) of non-AFL CIO affiliated unions, for example, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), perhaps you would share this.

I can tell you right now the CWA (AFL CIO) is strongly opposed to job destruction.
See for yourself: http://www.washtech.org/

The Programmers Guild (not AFL CIO) also opposes job destruction, see for yourself: http://www.programmersguild.org/

Union organizers said the workers make between $6 and $9 an hour.

Just a little FYI, i used to finish drywall back in the early 80's and was a member of the local union. At the time the journeyman scale was $11.85 an hour. This was here in Oklahoma so it was probably below the national average. Almost 30 years have passed and now the wages are less than they were before, this is what this "invasion" has created.

You should email Lou Dobbs with this Information.
The more examples of wage depression because of illegals needs to get out to the nation.


Spread the word.

He said 95 percent of Bean’s drywallers are immigrants.

[/quote]



I don to understand - are they legal or not ? The article is not clear .

I don to understand - are they legal or not ? The article is not clear

Then the "news" has done the job it set out to do. Relevant information would have made this article so messy.

It would be interesting to know, as Coto was pointing out, whether illegal contracts between illegal employers and illegal aliens fall under U.S. Labor law.

This is so sick .