Carpenters Take Fight for Fair Wages to Gravois
The Carpenters' District Council is demonstrating outside Southside Guns & Ammo to dispute wages offered by Kuehnle Construction.
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The Carpenters' District Council of Greater St. Louis and Vicinity is campagning for better wages and benefits in front of Southside Guns & Ammo on Gravois Road.
"We'd like a resolution, and maybe we get one and maybe we don't," said Scott Byrne, a representitive for the council. Byrne said the store is building a firing range where Gravois Road splits off to Seibert Ave.
Demonstrators handed out flyers to passersby explaining their cause:
The Carpenters' District Council have been leaders in our community's...struggle for equal employment opprotunity and decent standard of living for all those wanting to enter the skill trades.
Receipt of a fair wage with good health insurace and pension benefits, such as those obtained by the Carpenters' District Council for our members, affords workers and their families an opprotunity to live and work in our wonderful community.
But it appears that Southside Guns & Ammo is not concerned about maintaining our community's wage and fringe benefit standards by contracting Kuehnle Construction to perform carpenter work on their store. Rather by retaining Kuehnle Construction, Southside Guns & Ammo unwittingly contributes to the erosion of those standards.
Friends, we need your help. Please let Southside Guns & Ammo know you disapprove of its retention of Kuehnle Construction who does not meet the area wage and fringe benefits standards on all work they perform in our communities.
Francis Soyer
8:14 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
SHAME ON THE CARPENTER'S DISTRICT COUNSIL!!! If they (or one of their members) wanted the job then they should have provided the lowest bid. I will ABSOLUTELY support Southside Guns & Ammo!!! Every company in America has the right to choose who they wish to build for them. Instead of paying people to standing on the street corner crying about it, maybe they should find a way to provide a competative bid or move on to the next job!!! The Unions are the only sector in America that act this way when the lose a job to another company.
dave garren
9:37 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
I too am baffled at why certain folks feel ENTITLED to the job.
Now, I do support equal opportunity and a decent standard of living for all, just like the Union. but where is the proof that Kuehnle Construction pays sub-standard wages and provides sub-standard work?
Francis Soyer
11:40 am on Friday, February 8, 2013
Agree completely... their beef shouldn't be with those that don't hire them but with those that employ them. If they don't like their benefeits where they are at then find another job... just like the rest of us.
Gabe Cotton
12:12 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
It isn't about being entitled to a job, it's about creating and maintaining a better standard of living for all working people. The fact that they are non union speaks to them more likely paying a substandard wage than not. If that is too difficult to understand, then maybe it's best to not contribute to the debate.
dave garren
1:41 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Gabe - since you seem to be the expert on this property, and the company that is doing the building, please tell us what "substandard" wage is being paid to the employees of this company on this project.. Also please prove that hiring union carpenters would give them a better end product.
Until you can do this, perhaps it's best you NOT contribute to this debate.
dave garren
5:42 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Something tells me the folks working on this job have the same skill and are taking home the same pay as the union carpenter's.
Seems to me the only thing missing is the vig to the union. THAT is why they are picketing - no money going into the "bosses" pockets.