Laborers rally for infrastructure jobs
Several hundred orange-shirtted members of the Labborers International Union of North American rallied in Southwest Baltiimore today to call for increased federal spending on infrastructure projects tp help create jobs for its members and others.
Using the deteriorated Wilkens Avenue bridge over the Gwynns Falls as a backdrop, the union launched a campaign in Maryland to make job creation a top priority of Maryland's congressional delegation.
The targets of LIUNA's message were Maryland's two Democratic U.S. senators, Barbara A. Mikulski and Benjamin L. Cardin. Union leaders said they generally view the two senators as staunch allies in job creation efforts but wanted to encourage them to step up as "champions" of efforts to provide financing for public works projects including bridges, highways, rail projects, schools and water and sewer facilities.
Jim Anastase, business manager of Construction Laborers Local 710 in Baltimore, said joblessness among his members is running at 24 percent -- the worst in his memory. He said his membbers had benefited little from the economic stimulus because they tend to work on larger projects that received little money under that prohram, which emphasized smaller, "shovel-ready" programs that would create jobs in the short term.
Laborers officials said they are largely pinning their hopes on enactment of a new transportation authorizatiion bill. Currently the nation's transportation program has been operating on a temporary extension of an expired six-year program.
"Running a highway program by extensions is not the way to do business," said Rod Bennett, adviser to the president of LIUNA.
U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards, who represents Prince George's and Montgomery counties, came to Baltimore for the event. The Democratic congresswoman said the House of Representatives has passed several job creation measures only to see them go nowhere in the Senate.
"They have been laid to waste in the Senate because Senate Repubblicans have blocked the way," she said. "They're playing politics with paychecks and we're going to put a stop to it."
Republican have generally argued that deficit reduction, rather than job creation programs, should be the focus of the U.S. economic strategy.
The Laborers chose the site of the rally largely because of the presence of the bridge, which they identified as one of 372 deficient spans in Maryland. Adrienne Barnes, a spokeswoman for the city Transportation Department, said Baltimore plans to rehabilitate the bridge but that it is in line behind other projects.
Maryland is the fourth state in which the Laborers have launched a ccampaign for infrastructure spending. The effort is expected to include billboards in the vicinity of bridges such as the one on Wilkens, as well as other advertising.
Comments
I was just reviewing a job I bid for the Baltimore City Schools and noted that the prevailing wages (Davis-
Bacon) added
$48,000 to the total of $1,662,969. That is 3%. I mention this because prevailing wage laws exist because of the political power of the unions. And it is not like we are paying our guys minimum wage. Normal cost to us for skilled operators is $27.00 per hour but on Baltimore City prevailing wage jobs the cost is $42.00 per hour. Wake up Baltimore citizens. Quit letting the unions, via their influence on Democratic politicians, cost you millions on construction projects.
On the same project the split minority contractor requirements added $90,000 to the cost. That is another 5.4%. Think of the savings on all the construction projects the City has going if the cost was reduced by 8% to 10%.
Finally, since this the second entry about the thugs who call themselves union laborers I see the pro union, anti small business bias of the Sun is alive and well on this blog.
Posted by: Mark | August 4, 2010 8:47 AM
I live in Baltimore. I want a failing bridge to be rebuilt by well-trained (in an apprenticeship program), safety-conscious, professional unionized laborers and builders. I don't want to drive over a bridge built by $11/hr lackeys.
Mariya Strauss, Baltimore
Posted by: unionmaidn | August 4, 2010 10:52 AM
Many open shop contractors have Department of Labor recognized apprentice programs. I have worked about 50-50 in my career for union and open shop contractors and I can guarantee you the union workers of today are no better trained than the open shop workers. The unskilled laborers who work for us make a minimum of $15.00 per hour with vacation pay, medical benefits, and a 401 K retirement plan. The main difference between our employees and union construction workers is our workers neither assault the union members nor vandalize the equipment they use.
The one thing that completely destroys Mariya's argument is the fact that if the construction unions organized our company today they would issue cards to most if not all of our employees so they could begin to collect union dues. No test to see if they are qualified, no requirement to begin as first year apprentices, just give out the cards and collect the money.
Mariya also needs to keep in mind that the City employs inspectors to make sure all work is done in accordance with the plans and specifications.
Posted by: Mark | August 4, 2010 3:14 PM
I don't care who builds the bridges as long as they don't collapse. That usually means employing only skilled and trained Americans.
Posted by: Lindsay Jobs | August 9, 2010 3:20 AM