Threaten On The Picket Line

Union Organizer Bill Peters - Professional?

Union representatives from the New York City District Council of Carpenters can’t seem to make up their minds whether they want me to be less vocal or more vocal.

Seems lately, I have no luck.

Last week Local 157 President/Director of Operations, Lawrence D’Errico, and Vice President/Representative, Anthony Pugliese, moved to silence me for being too vocal at a union meeting by making a motion to "sue Michael Forde and Martin Devereaux."

This week Local 2870 Vice President/Organizer, Bill Peters, threatened me for not being vocal enough on a Council picket line.

The New York City District Council of Carpenters began a protest of "Rockaway Contracting" at 515 Madison Avenue and 53rd Street. I arrived promptly for the 12 pm picket, handed my union card to council organizer, Andres Puerta, and asked for a picket sign. Approximately 75 members participated as we began marching in a circle, chanting slogans and blow whistles.

Fifty minutes into the picket, union organizer Bill Peters singled me out, approached me on the line, got in my face and in a loud threatening voice said, “I am watching you, I know who you are, You want to be a leader of this union, You ran for election and now you write stuff.”

I was literally stunned by the outburst!

Not wanting to escalate this confrontation into something ugly I politely replied, “What does any of that have to do with me walking a picket line?”

This organizer, who I never met and have no knowledge of...then threatens me saying, “If you don't start participating in this picket, by chanting louder and blowing the whistle I am not signing your card and I’ll throw you off this line.”

I was absolutely dumbfounded, again not wanting to escalate this and get into a heated argument, I politely replied, “I am holding this sign, raising it up and down marching in a circle for one hour in sweltering 95 degree heat and you say I am not participating?”

Again this union representative threatens me, getting into my face and loudly saying, “You have one hour left at this picket and I better see you acting more vocal, I am going to be watching you and you won’t get your card signed.”

Once again shocked and not succumbing to his threats and menacing behavior, I asked for his name, said thank you, ended the conversation and continued to walk the picket line holding my sign.

Obviously this gorilla like outburst of taunts and threats has more to do with something else than me not being more vocal on a picket line, since he said, “I know who you are.”

I was not on the sidelines talking. I was not on a cell phone talking. I was not behaving in any manner that disrupted the picket line. I did not stop marching for one second. I was with my fellow union brothers and sisters marching in a circle, admittedly not as vocal as some but equal to others, nevertheless holding my sign high, raising it up and down for 2 hours in sweltering heat.

Sister Justine Kuhn, who was right behind me and witnessed Peters outburst said, “He was taunting you, He was right behind you continually screaming in your ear “Rats in the building, Rats go home” trying to provoke you.”

Since I had my earplugs in and not looking behind me I was unaware of Peters taunts.

Maybe he doesn't like me, maybe he’s not a fan of my blog, maybe he’s jealous, maybe he just wanted to throw his weight around and show me who the boss is, or maybe he just wanted to have a story to take back to his council buddies about how he taught me a lesson...I really don’t know.

Anthony Agridiano and Andres Puerta, the two other organizers were both very polite and very professional, unlike Peters whose behavior and conduct was unbecoming with the standards expected of District Council employees.

“He was totally out of line and acting like a real jerk” added a union brother in front of me who witnessed Peters behavior.

Peter's is just the latest example of what’s wrong with this union. As a council representative he has absolutely nothing to say about the revelations of continued corruption, the numerous guilty pleas, the fleecing of our money, or the delaying of our raise.

In Peters warped view I am the bad guy that's needs to be straightened out.

Peters continued to focus on me and taunt me as I passed him by while marching in a circle. Someone told me, “he really has his balls twisted.”

I just continue walking the line with my sign ignoring him until the picket was over. I got my card signed, said thank you to Anthony and Andres and left.

I imagine Peters felt really good, and maybe more manly, going back to the council telling his buddies how he straightened me out.

Note: In the summer of 2006, UBC GP Douglas McCarron, issued an order dissolving the New York City Industrial Council of Carpenters and its three local unions, locals 2682, 2947, and 3127 to form  new local 2870 to be affiliated with the NYCDC.

"The Carpenter" magazine featured a two page article on the new local in the fall 2006 issue, pg 12-13.