Just in time for July 4, the International Union of Operating Engineers has called a strike after failing to agree on a new contract Friday. "It's safe to say the strike will affect hundreds of construction sites over the weekend," said Christopher O. Ward, the managing director of the contractors association told the Times.
Not only does this strike mean that high-profile projects like the foundation work for the Freedom Tower and the excavation of Water Tunnel No. 3 are on hold but hundreds of other projects across the city have lost momentum as well. Without the crane operators, or the Teamsters whose contract has also expired, it is incredibly difficult to run a construction site.
The main issue is the contractors' demand for productivity increases. Management officials say too many operating engineers do little work, asserting that many do little more than turn on and off lights and compressors.
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Last Thursday, James. T. Callahan, president of Local 15, offered to sign interim agreements with contractors to allow work to continue at several of the largest, most important projects, like the Freedom Tower site.But Mr. Ward said the industry did not want to sign piecemeal, interim agreements, saying it instead wanted a citywide collective bargaining agreement.
And yet there is still hope that a deal can be reached before Wednesday so that not too much time will be lost (the July 4th weekend makes the crunch a little less painful). And in case you were wondering: The basic pay scale for operating engineers is $72.03 - $82.65 an hour.
Sunset Site by jShrued via Contribute.
