Union protest at 12th and Pearl is now out of control -Goldtex Post Bros

**The Count** · 09-12-2012, 07:13 AM

Looks like all the union got was a sit-down with The Bros. and another giant heaping spoonful of "NO".

Seeking new job, union halts Goldtex protest

In other news, I'm currently in Chicago watching Rham Emanuel continue to put the boots to the Chicago Teachers Union.

The times they are a-changin'.

**Jayfar** · 09-12-2012, 07:46 AM

Just a little more detail in a Daily News article:

Seeking new job, union halts Goldtex protest

Michael Pestronk said that union leaders asked Post Brothers to promise "100 percent union" workers at the Atlantic Building, a 330,000-square-foot office building that Post Brothers purchased in July for "more than $22 million." "We said, we can't promise [100 percent union jobs] today. We need to bid the project and we can go from there," said Pestronk.

Pestronk said that the meeting led to plans for union leaders to negotiate with subcontractors at the Goldtex to hire union workers to complete the $38 million renovation, which had been slowed by almost-daily protests by union picketers.

**johnnie** · 09-12-2012, 11:18 AM

So the unions backed down without guaranteed 100% union work. The battle was won for affordable labor without extortion, but the true war will be the building at Broad and Spruce. The negotiations may have been the Battle of the Bulge, the last acts of a desperate man. It was a good day.

**19147** · 09-13-2012, 10:11 AM

A shaky blueprint for labor

A shaky blueprint for labor
Brady brokered a deal for mixed hiring, not all union, at Goldtex. Will future projects follow?

**ShoshTrvls** · 09-13-2012, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by 19147

A shaky blueprint for labor

A shaky blueprint for labor
Brady brokered a deal for mixed hiring, not all union, at Goldtex. Will future projects follow?

The big wigs eat in lux at Chops and Four Seasons, the foot soldiers get coffee in a paper cup:

"Peace involved a dinner at Chops Restaurant & Bar on City Avenue with Brady and the brothers followed by breakfast at the Four Seasons hotel with the trio plus Patrick Gillespie, head of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council.

The meals led to a meeting Sept. 6 at a union hall on Columbus Boulevard attended by about 30 building trade union leaders who were served coffee. "The lessons are that everyone can work together and work these issues out without having major problems and stopping jobs and stopping growth in development," Brady said."

**CapsuleF** · 09-13-2012, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by 19147

A shaky blueprint for labor

A shaky blueprint for labor
Brady brokered a deal for mixed hiring, not all union, at Goldtex. Will future projects follow?

More evidence that ILoveBeer owes several people an expensive lunch, perhaps at Chops LOL!

The thing I am most looking forward to is when Post Bros don't use union labor at their next building! Good luck matching the free market union pigs.

**The Count** · 09-13-2012, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by CapsuleF

More evidence that ILoveBeer owes several people an expensive lunch, perhaps at Chops LOL!

The thing I am most looking forward to is when Post Bros don't use union labor at their next building! Good luck matching the free market union pigs.

My favorite quote from the article:

Brady had to get involved simply to allow the other side to save face, because, in reality, little has changed.

All the unions can do anymore is grandstand and make noise, (much like ILoveBeer), but they've got no bite to follow their bark.

**thoth** · 09-13-2012, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by The Count

All the unions can do anymore is grandstand and make noise, (much like ILoveBeer), but they've got no bite to follow their bark.

Don't encourage them

**billy ross** · 09-13-2012, 01:09 PM

My guess is you'll see more union workers at Post Brothers jobs, but at lower costs. Maybe more apprentices? Maybe costs will get shifted around? We'll see. The union guys figured out that Post Brothers represents what the city needs, which is investment and growth. Post Brothers needs to turn jobs around. The unions can make that happen. There's common ground there, and that's where Brady came in.

**City Man** · 09-13-2012, 01:40 PM

I'm really gonna miss getting "gritted on" in the morning by Hank, Ray, Schmitty, Billy, Tommy Mick, Joey D, Shark, Rags and THE black guy while they slurp coffee and talk out the side of their mouth.

Don't get me wrong, unions do excellent, guaranteed work. I know quite a few union guys and I've heard all the stories: no show - no call - no problem; coming to work drunk and sleeping it off in a truck then waking up to clock out; and finally, going to the Phillies game while on the clock.

It' stuff like this that gives the good union guys a bad name.

**thoth** · 09-13-2012, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by The Count

My favorite quote from the article:

This was mine:

And Thursday morning, concrete for the basement parking garage is scheduled to be poured and installed by union cement masons working for a nonunion subcontractor, William "Bill" Ousey, business manager of the Cement Masons Local 592, said.

The picketing "was getting old for everybody. There had to be an end," he said. "I'd rather work with the Pestronks than be against them. They are developers, and we want developers in this city. They just have to pay the prevailing wages."

This shows the rift between the union leadership, who seem to think every developer they're dealing with this guy:

...and the individual unions that want to work and are more open to the idea of negotiating with over wages to get more projects rolling down the pike.

**the mule** · 09-13-2012, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

This was mine:

This shows the rift between the union leadership, who seem to think every developer they're dealing with this guy:

...and the individual unions that want to work and are more open to the idea of negotiating with over wages to get more projects rolling down the pike.

Well the guy said in his quote that he wants to work for the Pestronks... at prevailing wage, i.e. the union wage rate. That's not negotiation over wages, and that's why their projects aren't 100% union because they don't work financially at prevailing wage.

What kills me is guys like ilovebeer gloating over how much they earn when they work, yet these guys are never fully employed. How useful is it to earn union wages when you're only working 1/4 of the time you could be? That's why so many of these guys work side jobs at non-union wages.

**ILoveBeer** · 09-13-2012, 08:36 PM

My friend, I've been fully employed for about 25 years straight. This years been another banner year, already over 68k. Times are good

**billy ross** · 09-13-2012, 08:46 PM

It depends upon how you define "prevailing wage". It's a bit of a squishy concept, and I believe it's ripe for some adjustment.

Originally Posted by the mule

Well the guy said in his quote that he wants to work for the Pestronks... at prevailing wage, i.e. the union wage rate. That's not negotiation over wages, and that's why their projects aren't 100% union because they don't work financially at prevailing wage.

What kills me is guys like ilovebeer gloating over how much they earn when they work, yet these guys are never fully employed. How useful is it to earn union wages when you're only working 1/4 of the time you could be? That's why so many of these guys work side jobs at non-union wages.

**Volanova** · 09-13-2012, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by ILoveBeer

My friend, I've been fully employed for about 25 years straight. This years been another banner year, already over 68k. Times are good

Good for you?

I hope you realize that you have pretty much gone through any credibility you had when it comes to people believing anything you would write about the condition of organized labor in this city, and projects that the unions are or are not getting. Bragging about your supposed income will not help that.

As an aside, has anyone called in on that ill-advised bet you made for dinner?

**AbortedWalrus** · 09-13-2012, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by ILoveBeer

My friend, I've been fully employed for about 25 years straight. This years been another banner year, already over 68k. Times are good

Glad to hear you can afford to pay for all those bets you just lost.

**Cro Burnham** · 09-14-2012, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by ILoveBeer

My friend, I've been fully employed for about 25 years straight. This years been another banner year, already over 68k. Times are good

Gosh, with all that loot, you won't have a problem taking eight people out for the $200/person meal you promised. To think, some of the wager-winners here were feeling a little sorry for you.

Hey, we all know that even the good the restaurants have pretty much non-union labor these days. But, given your conscience and your deep pockets, I'm sure you of all people won't mind upping the allowance to $300 per head so you can enjoy the same or lesser meal at a union-staffed restaurant, right? The union staffed restaurants are usually better anyway: don't you remember how yummy Bookbinder's was the last few years before it went under?

Oh, and by the way, you're welcome - I mean, for your wages that are paid in part through my taxes because I have no choice but to use you on public projects over equally or more qualified potential competition . . . yes, I know, I know; don't mention it. But hey, listen to some words to the wise: save up some of that bounty for your career reorientation fund, you'll probably need it in the next few years if you want to keep making $90K a year.

Enjoy dinner with our friends in the meantime! Don't forget to make a toast to the Pestronks!

**thoth** · 09-14-2012, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by ILoveBeer

My friend, I've been fully employed for about 25 years straight. This years been another banner year, already over 68k. Times are good

Great my friend so you'll be able to take all of out for dinner at Chops, right my friend?

**Cro Burnham** · 09-14-2012, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

Great my friend so you'll be able to take all of out for dinner at Chops, right my friend?

Four Seasons might be better! Yum yum!

**the mule** · 09-14-2012, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by billy ross

It depends upon how you define "prevailing wage". It's a bit of a squishy concept, and I believe it's ripe for some adjustment.

Prevailing wage specifically refers to a fixed number set for different trades in a certain region. It's not squishy at all. You can go to the state's website, pick your locality and trade and it will give you the prevailing wage as defined by the state.

So yes, it is a misnomer, because the name would suggest it's the most common wage rate, but in practice it's essentially the union wage rate.