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* When you refuse to do project labor agreements, stuff like this can happen…
A strike at a construction site on the Jane Addams Tollway in Des Plaines orchestrated by a tollway board member could slow the long-awaited completion of the project.
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 members said they would picket a tollway contractor, Stalworth Underground, starting Thursday night at the I-90 bridge over Oakton near Des Plaines.
Stalworth owes the union more than $40,000 from a grievance settlement, said James Sweeney, Local 150 president and a tollway director.
The massive rebuild and widening of I-90 between Elgin and O’Hare International Airport is on a tight time schedule and is supposed to wrap up at the end of 2016. […]
The picket isn’t the first salvo against the tollway since a new batch of directors appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner voted in 2015 to nix a 21-year agreement requiring contractors to hire unions in exchange for guarantees of no strikes or walkouts.
* Meanwhile…
More than 10,000 people are expected to participate in a Labor Day Parade that will celebrate unions in the 10th Ward.
The Saturday parade and festival, which will include representatives from more than 35 unions, was in part organized by Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th). The large celebration will show anti-union politicians that they can’t mess with the city and its working class people, Garza said.
“We got Bruce Rauner sitting in Springfield, waiting to pounce on labor unions. They want to take away collective bargaining and this, that and the other,” Garza said. “I’m hoping to send a message to Springfield that says, ‘Hey, Bruce Rauner, don’t screw with Chicago. Don’t screw with Illinois. Because labor is standing strong.’ “
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:13 am
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This will add fuel to 1.4% rhetoric that unions have too much power.
Stay strong.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:22 am
Bruce Rauner: best shot in the arm the labor movement has had in years. #winnin’!
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:23 am
===…Because labor is standing strong.===
Remember, Labor, two in five Labor households voted Rauner.
Unless Labor votes against Raunerites, “votes accordingly” in November… and at a 1 in 5 or even a 1 in 6 clip in the Raunerite Proxy races…
I’ll know on November 9th how politically serious Labor is, and if Raunerites understand… or Raunerites stand… after November 8th.
Yeah, it’s THAT important, and it will be that telling.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:25 am
–When you refuse to do project labor agreements, stuff like this can happen…–
That is true that it can happen, but doesn’t necessarily mean it should happen. That PLA was collusion between the government and the unions involved to forbid non-union contractors and workers the ability to bid on projects.
While the vast majority of the time going with a construction union contractor makes tons of sense due to the workforce they provide, but this kind of collusion should be illegal for a government to participate in.
Comment by Ahoy! Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:41 am
Labor Day is in danger of becoming a meaningless day off. If you support labor, this should be your call to action day. Labor is under attack because it is the last defense against low wages. A recent study highlights the adverse impact that unions’ decline has on non-union wages as well - http://www.epi.org/publication/union-decline-lowers-wages-of-nonunion-workers-the-overlooked-reason-why-wages-are-stuck-and-inequality-is-growing/
Illinois is a major battlefield in that war. Act and Vote Accordingly.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:59 am
“That PLA was collusion between the government and the unions involved to forbid non-union contractors and workers the ability to bid on projects.”
Please quote chapter and verse that non-union are forbidden to bid on the project. From what I have read, there is nothing against non-union contractors from bidding on the work. Most of the time, the non-union employees are required to join or pay dues for the duration of the work.
If I were an owner with a large complicated project, I would want something to ensure labor peace to keep the project on schedule.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 10:59 am
If you want good wages & benefits, vote for the candidates who supports unions.
Comment by Mama Retired Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:09 am
Rumor has it that the governor is going to hold a labor day press conference claiming that the failure of AFSCME’s failed September 1st strike is yet another example of his leadership and turnaround agenda. Way to go Governor and pigs can fly!
Comment by Johnnie C Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:12 am
** If I were an owner with a large complicated project, I would want something to ensure labor peace to keep the project on schedule. **
Basically you are suggesting paying protection money to keep unions from protesting -unreal. This is why unions are in decline.
As a member of a school board I was required to vote on and pass the prevailing wage agreement every year. It listed various positions (drywaller, plumber, etc) and the rate of pay that was required - rates that were set by the unions. This eliminates any possibility of cash-strapped school districts from negotiating reasonable rates for work that desperately needs to be done.
Comment by DGD Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:14 am
@DGD 11:14 ==Basically you are suggesting paying protection money to keep unions from protesting -unreal. This is why unions are in decline.
It was explained to me that a PLA is basically a no-strike/no lockout agreement. If a strike occurs industry-wide, every project normally stops until an agreement is reached. With PLA, the unions and contractors keep working even if a strike or lockout has every other project shut down.
Comment by DuPage Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:37 am
Given the Gov’s track record, will we see layoffs on labor day?
Comment by burbanite Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:38 am
- DGD -
What is the real savings by lowering workers wages from the last calendar year?
As a school board member, “frustrated”, I would have guessed all that pent up frustration Wouk lead to charts and graphs of the real money savings, along with what YOU think a person, a plumber, a dry-walker, a painter should make.
Also, please include that percentage decrease these monies mean, and let’s us all know if you’re going to take that same percentage decrease.
Thanks!
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:46 am
“rates that were set by the unions”
No they aren’t. You can read about it here:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2405
Comment by Nick Name Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 11:48 am
HUH?
Why should a potential non-union contractor be required to pay dues to Unions in order to bid on a public project? Just like workers are free to choose to be union, contractors and workers should be free to choose to be non-union as well. Getting a sign-off on a PLA for a non-union company is just a payoff to ensure the union thugs don’t cause trouble. It certainly doesn’t benefit the public. Maybe the State should place a requirement to use non-union contractors on every job to ensure that there will not be a strike /snark.
Comment by Libertas Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 12:07 pm
OW -
What do you think that a person, a plumber, a dry-waller, a painter should make? Should individual opinions on wages matter? Shouldn’t that wage be set by the market rather than by a private body (Unions)? Unions have a right to influence the market by banding together to negotiate for higher wages & benefits and I will defend their right to do so in every instance. That being said, Unions have gone far beyond collective negotiations and now use the power of government to set wages that are often well above market rates.
Comment by Libertas Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 12:13 pm
- Libertas -
Explain prevailing wage.
Thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 12:23 pm
===Getting a sign-off on a PLA for a non-union company is just a payoff to ensure the union thugs don’t cause trouble. It certainly doesn’t benefit the public.===
Union members are “taxpayers” too.
You’re welcome.
===Maybe the State should place a requirement to use non-union contractors on every job to ensure that there will not be a strike /snark.===
Rauner wants state employee strikes.
That’s not snark.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 12:26 pm
“It certainly doesn’t benefit the public.”
In the context of the tollway and highway construction, having a PLA certainly does benefit the public. By ensuring that the construction project remain on time to minimize the amount of time that temporary traffic control is erected, the less time that traffic is impeded by narrow or reduced number of lanes.
So with your snarky remark, you don’t care that traffic gets backed up, causing longer delays through construction zones. Obviously that doesn’t count as a public benefit. No /s
Comment by Huh? Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 12:42 pm
For the deluded commenters who claim a PLA prevents work stoppages, may I point to Exhibit A - the 2010 strike against the road builders. The Tollway had a PLA on every job, yet the strike shut Tollway work down. Collusion between organized labor and the Quinn Administration rendered the PLA meaningless because labor wanted its way at the bargaining table. So, please stop with the nonsense of defending PLAs. They only work when labor finds it convenient. And, yes, they work to keep non-union labor out of the marketplace, at least in practice in Illinois.
Comment by phocion Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 12:50 pm
DGD - Prevailing wage law only applies to work that is contracted out. If you can use your staff to do the work, you are not required to pay prevailing wage. Can your custodians paint? Do dry wall? Can they do plumbing work?
Comment by Huh? Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 1:08 pm
Lets first get something straight, not all PLAs are the same. Most do involve no strike/no lock out language, some ask for very specific things like safety regulations or hiring clauses etc.
Also the PLA is usually asked for by the end user not the union more often than not. No PLA that I am aware of forbids non-union bidders, as a matter of fact I have worked on PLA jobs that had non-union subs. True though that most PLAs do require the non-union subs to abide by the local CBA for there craft only for that project. The 150 strike I believe would be justified even under a PLA, the only acceptable work stoppage is non payment of wages. All other activity like jurisdictional disputes, organizing, no contract, are not allowed.
A lot of private work is done under PLAs as well (National Maintenance Agreement, Powerhouse Agreement and countless others) because its a good value to the end user.
Operating Engineers 150 is %100 justified in this work stoppage if the contractor is not paying its workers. PLA or no PLA.
Comment by augie Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 1:59 pm
OW
Definition of Prevailing Wage - an artificially inflated wage rate determined under the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931. This act requires all workers on federal projects worth more than $2,000 to be paid the “prevailing wage”, which in actuality means the local union wage and raises the cost of construction wages on federally funded projects 22 percent above the market rate on average.
The Davis-Bacon act was originally introduced in response to the presence of southern black construction workers on a Long Island, New York veterans hospital project by racist republican congressmen and supported by officials from the American Federation of Labor to effectively ban black unskilled workers from New Deal construction projects.
Comment by Libertas Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:08 pm
Augie, there ended up being no work stoppage. If the contractor did really owe money related to the grievance, they must have paid it. And while we probably don’t agree on much, I appreciate your generally factual review of PLAs.
Comment by phocion Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:09 pm
Huh?
“In the context of the tollway and highway construction, having a PLA certainly does benefit the public.”
In the same way that paying for mob “protection” benefits a business.
Comment by Libertas Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:12 pm
- Libertas -
I asked to explain prevailing wage.
Here it is… pertaining to Illinois specifically.
Thanks.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2405
H/T to - Nick Name -
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:15 pm
===In the same way that paying for mob “protection” benefits a business.===
Nope.
If you can cite where it says that…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:19 pm
OW
Explanation of Prevailing Wage - a means by which government and unions collaborate to manipulate the wage market to benefit one group or class of people over another at the expense of the public.
Comment by Libertas Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:25 pm
Ugh…
- Libertas -
===…unions collaborate to manipulate the wage…===
So an agreed to wage?
They agree ON the wage? Manipulate?
It’s agreed to. They agree. “Prevailing” that sounds pretty important in finding that… agreed to… wage.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:29 pm
** and let’s us all know if you’re going to take that same percentage decrease **
Why should I ? I work in the private sector.
** along with what YOU think a person, a plumber, a dry-walker, a painter should make. **
Prevailing wage is a zero sum game, excess labor costs have to come from somewhere. In small rural districts like ours, we could find better uses for that money other than over-priced labor.
Comment by DGD Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:56 pm
===Prevailing wage is a zero sum game, excess labor costs have to come from somewhere===
Often from the profits of road builders. Just sayin…
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 2:56 pm
===Why should I ? I work in the private sector.===
Private sector construction of building the roads. Those tradesmen/women work in the private sector too.
So I ask again, the percentage you want dropped, should we take that from you… or…
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Sep 2, 16 @ 3:02 pm