Burbs: Union pickets CVS site in New City
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original Publication: October 19, 2005)
An electricians union is picketing a CVS Corp. store that is under construction on South Main Street in New City, saying the electricians on the job are not being paid adequately.
About 15 members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 363 carried signs yesterday and Monday in front of the store being built by Du-Rite Construction Co. Inc.
Gilbert J. Heim, a union business representative, said the union was in talks with Du-Rite's management last week in the hopes of convincing the company to hire union electricians for the job. But the company's position was that there was no benefit to changing workers after the construction was already underway, he said.
By not paying the wages that are standard for the area, the contractors are "lowering the standard for the area," he said.
"We spoke with one employee (on the job) and he's getting paid around $20 an hour with no medical benefits," Heim said.
A journeyman electrician who belongs to the union makes about $59 an hour, including benefits, he said.
The electrical contractor for the job is JNR Electrical Contracting Inc. of Sloatsburg. Officials at Du-Rite and JNR did not return phone calls yesterday afternoon.
Heim said two contractors that use union employees were willing to build the store, which is at 280 S. Main St., for the same amount of money as Du-Rite.
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