Union construction workers continue on strike at the new sewage treatment plant, new library and county courthouse in New Ulm.

Workers went out on strike at the sewage plant June 19, the same day as at the other two projects. The strike of general laborers, carpenters, bricklayers and iron workers against Associated General Contractors (AGC) members started statewide June 16.

The $6.1 million sewage plant is largely completed, according to City Manager Richard Salvati, but some minor things are yet to be done. Work also must be done on the access road.

“We anticipate it will be in operation by the end of the summer,” Salvati said.

A SPOKESMAN at Heymann Construction, contractor for the library and courthouse, said he had “no news” about the strike.

“We’re working wherever we can, piddling around, you might say,” the spokesman said.

When asked how long the strike might last, he said, “God only knows. I heard it might last two months but the guy who told me probably wanted a vacation in Alaska. I just hope it’s settled soon.”

State Highway Department officials say they are worried that a long halt will make it difficult to finish some projects before winter. About 125state highway projects, totaling more than $100million, have been halted by the strike.

WITH THE strike in its 11th day, disagreement over picket lines, subcontractors and wages appear to be the chief hangups, Associated Press reported.

The AGC will not discuss the money issue and some union negotiators prefer not to reveal details, AP reported. General laborers in the union in New Ulm now earn $5.90 per hour while carpenters in the union here earn $7.75 per hour.

The picket line dispute involves a request by the unions that they keep a contract clause allowing building trades workers to honor the picket lines of unions other than their own without danger of reprisal from employers. The AGC opposes the clause.

THE SUBCONTRACTING dispute involves the employers’ demand that they be able to hire non-union subcontractors and pay them less than union wages. The AGC contends its firms are losing jobs to nonunion contractors. The unions say the AGC is simply trying to encourage as much nonunion work as possible.

The Federal Mediation Board said no bargaining sessions are scheduled.

Members of Operating Engineers Local 49Tuesday rejected a tentative contract agreement with AGC, according to AP.

Union members voted 2,505-835 not to accept the three-year proposal at meetings around the state. Some 7,000 operating engineers would have been covered by the contract.

Local 49 Business Manager Frank Penzimas said the contract proposal provided hourly wage increases of $2.05 in the seven-county metropolitan Twin Cities area and four Iron Range counties, $2 in the remainder of the eastern half of the state and $1.65 in the western half of the state.

The rejection followed an earlier turndown by Local 49 members of a contract from sand and gravel contractors.

New Ulm Daily Journal

June 26, 1975