Friday, September 2, 2011

Carpenters hammer out a deal, avoiding strike

The tentative deal reached Thursday between the District Council of Carpenters and the Cement League could pave the way for others. 

By Daniel Massey

Carpenters reach deal, avoid strike.
After several contract extensions, the District Council of Carpenters has finally hammered out a new, tentative deal with the Cement League, though agreements with several other industry associations remain outstanding.

A statement on the union's website said that the deal was reached Thursday. No details were offered.

“This is a positive first step in our overall goal of reaching agreements with all of our association partners,” the statement said.

Bryan Winter, executive director of the Cement League, declined to comment.

John Musumeci, a 25-year carpenter and blogger about the union, said that the deal is for three years and provides raises of $1.50 an hour in the first year, $2.50 in the second year and $3 in the third year.

An industry source said it includes a provision similar to one in the recent concrete workers deal that is designed to help regain market share from nonunion builders. The concrete workers gave contractors a 20% discount on hotel and residential buildings of 16 or fewer stories.

A union spokesman would neither confirm nor deny those details.

Talks with the Cement League were believed to be among the most contentious, so the completion of a deal with the League is a sign that others could be near. The carpenters' contracts, covering some 25,000 workers, expired June 30 and deadlines have been extended multiple times.

The union's website said that progress was made this week in talks with the Building Contractors Association, the Floorcoverers Association and the Association of Wall-Ceiling and Carpentry Industries. Talks will resume with those associations on Tuesday, the union said, and the current deals with those groups have been extended until Thursday.

The industry source said it's likely that Frank Spencer, who was appointed in 2009 by the general president of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America to oversee the local union after several of its officials were indicted for bribery, will join the talks next week in an attempt to work out final issues.

The union's statement made no mention of talks with the General Contractors Association of New York, the group that was widely believed to be furthest from a deal in recent weeks. Just two weeks ago, the association's director, Denise Richardson told Crain's that an agreement was “very far away.” She did not respond to a call Friday seeking comment.

Among the key issues in the negotiations is full mobility, or contractors' insistence on the right to choose all of their workers. Presently, as per a federal judge's order, they must hire a third of their workers through the union's hiring hall.

Contractors argue that the system is inefficient and hurts productivity because they end up with workers who may not have certain skills needed on specific job sites.

5 comments:

  1. Dennis, Oh Dennis, Mr. IRO - we want our money back...put these thieves in Jail & sue them for their Pension & Annuity monies, ALL PERSONAL ASSETS, CASH, BANK ACCOUNTS STOCKS, TRUSTS ETC

    From: 157
    email:
    Date: 02 Sep 2011
    Time: 08:19 PM


    Comments
    Mike Forde's buddy was a big contributor to the KAFCI problem. Mike Guerin. He admitted everything to Walter Mack in a deposition. Nothing was done to prosecute him. Of cousre , no foreman or company men were charged either. What about the Foreman in the Sheraton , Tony Finan. Isn't there steward's reports from those jobs ? How come no foreman or company men are being criminally prosecuted ? Because Dennis Walsh is a scammer also. It was only to get at the billing hours and ultimately to get at the welfare and benefit fund. That is the candy jar , Mcarron , and the gov't wants it. They don't want the wise guys to have it any more. It is too lucrative. Mcarron is using the gov't to achieve this.

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  2. DROP DEAD UNITY TEAM !

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  3. The title to this story does not reflect Reality and it is Misleading.

    One Association does not a Contract make. Who said Frank & Doug are legally authorized to sign anything on your behalf? Fuck them - you have to take the NYCDCC away from them....everyone get it?

    You have to take it away from all the Lawyers, who make the thieving possible in the first instance (who writes all the contractual langauge & trust fund language?) who are screwing you as well....Torrance, Walsh, Conboy, McGuire etc.

    Anyone not comprehend that?

    This is Doug stuck in pre-school, going "Mine", "Mine" and Bullying people till he got his way..Guess what - he' still at it.

    You know what they say - take out the Bully first & the rest of the rats will scatter like the Little Girls & Cockroaches they truly are.

    It ain't Doug's Ball, it ain't the Courts, it ain't the crooked fuck Conboys either - nor is it the alleged Knight in Shining Armor - Dennis Walsh's.

    You want the Ball back - ya gotta go get it ladies, fuck the so called rules - there are none....go get the Ball

    When in doubt - Knock em out!

    Equate this to a home Invasion.

    Would you let the univited intruder(s) stay in your home, eat your food, have his way with your wife...hell no. No diff here....amazing how quick their attitude will change with a short right square to the nose.

    They'll cry and whine just like they did back at the Playground - only this ain't a Ball ladies, this is for real, food from the mouth of your children, money stolen and pissed away to thieving lawyers - effecting your retirement and future health and well being!

    What kind of message does it send to junior when ole Daddy won't stand up to the neighborhood Bully?

    21-years of Bullshit - with 21-more in sight, so go kick some ass, throw the Bums out, send em packing to DC & California etc

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  4. ALL DOUGIE BOY WANTS OUT OF THE NYDC IS ALL THE CASH HE CAN GRABE ! ONCE HE HAS ALL THE MONEY HE WILL BE GONE UNTILL THE NEXT TIME ! GOOD LUCK GUY'S & GOD BLESS THE "WORKING MEMBER'S "

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