Labor and Management Talk as Concrete Strike Enters 3rd Day

Talks continued Aug. 3 between the Cement League and Concrete Workers locals 6A, 18A and 20, following a worker strike that began Monday, says Louis Coletti, president of Building Trades Employers’ Association. The strike includes concrete workers at the World Trade Center site although some of those workers have returned to their jobs, says industry sources.
 
“They should not use the WTC as a bargaining tip,” Coletti says. Management’s proposed 20% wage reduction “would not affect a single person on the WTC site but rather, that reduction would affect new residential/hotel projects,” Coletti says. “They should go back to work while they’re bargaining.”
 
Calls made to locals 6A, 18A and 20 were not returned by press time.
 
Separately, independent arbitrator Richard Adelman ruled recently that Concrete Workers District Council Local 16, an umbrella group negotiating on behalf of other unions, was in violation of a no-strike clause in a project agreement at four sites: Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Madison Square Garden, 2 WTC and a residential tower on West 57th St. Adelman ordered a cease and desist action, and all workers returned to these sites on Aug. 3.
 
Labor sources say that they were not informed of the no-strike clause and will appeal the ruling.
 
Meanwhile, another arbitration hearing will take place tonight regarding a walkout at Weill Cornell Medical College research center located at 413 East 69th St., an industry source says.