Thread: N.Y.: Electricians picket CVS site, call for local tradesmen

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November 17, 2009

Electricians picket CVS site, call for local tradesmen to be hired

By G. Jeffrey Aaron

CHEMUNG -- A group of unemployed electricians picketed the CVS/Caremark warehouse building project Tuesday morning to call for more local tradesmen to be hired to work on the $100 million project.

The electricians - seven active and one retired - carried American flags and signs advocating the use of local workers. They were calling attention to the fact that while they are unemployed, seven undocumented Mexicans -- who worked for a subcontractor at the site -- were arrested Thursday on federal immigration administration violations.

"There are extremely qualified workers in this area, but we aren't on this job," said Ernie Eichensehr, 51, of Steuben County. Eichensehr has been an electrician for 30 years but has been off work for a month. His last job, he said, was at the new dormitory project at Elmira College.

James Kennedy, 30, of Chemung County, has six years of experience, but he's been out of work for five months since February. He said his tax dollars are being used as part of the incentive package offered to CVS by the Chemung County Industrial Development Agency in return for the pharmacy company building its warehouse/distribution center in Chemung County. Kennedy also said the jobs the project will create -- between 400 and 600, according to CVS -- will be a boon to the local economy.

But on the flip side, he and the other jobless tradesmen said they are watching the benefits of their tax dollars go to other communities and out of the country.

"I don't consider what I do temporary work," Kennedy said. "There should be enough work around here to keep me steadily employed."

Kennedy said the pickets received coffee, breakfast pizzas and words of encouragement from passersby.

"We also were supported by other contractors on the job who don't like what's going on," he said.

Gray Construction, a Lexington, Ky.-based building company, is managing the project for the CVS.

Gray's Communications Vice President Jill Wilson said Monday the company is planning to hire an outside firm later this week to conduct a third-party audit of all workers at the site.

www.stargazette.com

Quote:

"The electricians - seven active and one retired - carried American flags and signs advocating the use of local workers. They were calling attention to the fact that while they are unemployed,...."


YOU GO, GENTLEMEN!!!! Good for you for standing up for U.S. citizen workers being displaced by illegal foreign nationals!!!!

When are they going to picket the AFL-CIO?