DKCards

I didn't see this posted. Hope it gets cleared up soon.

http://www.azcentral.com/business/ar...strike-ON.html

A dozen pickets held vigil outside the Arizona Cardinals Stadium on Friday as a statewide strike by crane and other heavy equipment operators slowed work at several Valley construction sites.

International Union of Operating Engineers Local 428 struck after its contract with various Arizona contractors expired May 31 without being renewed. Negotiations continued today and were expected to go through the weekend, said Rene Lopez, the union's business representative.

"If we get a fair shake, it'll be over before we know it,'' Lopez said. advertisementOAS_AD('BoxAd')

The strike includes crane and certain other heavy equipment operators at the stadium site near 91st and Maryland avenues and on Loop 202 freeway construction work, Lopez said.

Ongoing construction at Sky Harbor International Airport also was affected briefly, but a contract extension signed with a contractor at mid-day Friday put strikers there back to work, according to Lopez.

"We are striking for better wages, benefits and health care,'' said Gary Teel, a stadium-site crane operator and picket captain picketing the site.

Teel said workers "would like to get this settled as soon as possible,'' but asked various other trade unions at the site Friday to honor their picket lines. Unions that agreed to do so, according to Teel, included those for pipe fitters, electrical and sheet metal workers, and brick masons, though their absence could not be independently verified.

Hunt Construction Group, the general contractor in charge of stadium construction, could not be reached immediately to discuss the strike.

However, the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 75 confirmed that about 80 workers at the stadium site had been asked to honor the picket line on Friday, many of them turning away as they arrived for work this morning.

"We hope it gets resolved this weekend,'' said Buzz Murphy, local business manager for the Iron Workers. Murphy said the union also had an obligation to Schuff Steel, a subcontractor at the stadium site with which the union has a valid contract.

As a result, Murphy said, "We will ask our people to go back to work Monday.''

Brad Parker, spokesman for the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority, the stadium's overseer, said the absence of some workers should not have a substantial impact on construction progress, which so far is on budget and expected to meet an August 2006 completion deadline.

"We're confident it'll get worked out shortly and it won't affect the project,'' Parker said.
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There will never be enough questions answered to eliminate faith

Russ Smith

Let's hope Drew Rosenhaus isn't representing them.

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“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

NavyVet

At first I thought they were protesting the dude getting shot in Tucson riding the stolen belly scraper..

blindseyed

Ya mean Drew Rosenhaus, AKA Drew "Declined to Comment" Rosenhaus

O

I just saw a story on the news regarding this. They said the striking workers want a two hundred percent wage increase over the next three years.



Yeah, so do I........

DS

I'm a heavy equipment operator everytime I go to the bathroom

BigRedRage

WOULDNT THAT BE NICE.......caps lock!

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#BIRDGANG
Draft a top Guard - check!

40yearfan

Big roll of toilet paper huh?

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Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.

ajcardfan

This is a right to work state. If they play hardball, they can all be replaced. That wouldn't be good though, I hope it's worked out.

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We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the plain duty of each and all of us is to try to make the little corner he can influence somewhat less miserable and somewhat less ignorant than it was before he entered it.

T.H. Huxley

Red Hawk

Stadium Site Open Despite Pickets

Operating engineers (crane operators) at the Cardinals Stadium today (June 3) were picketing the site as well as the airport and other projects state-wide as part of their negotiations with a bargaining unit of contractors following the standard expiration of their contract May 31.

It had been erroneously reported during the morning that the work site was closed. The site is open and other workers and trades are on the job.

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PRAY TO THE FOOTBALL GODS FOR SALVATION

CardLogic

Replaced by whom??? This union is heavy equipment operators (not just crane operators), it is not like they can be replaced by some guys off the street. It's one thing to be able to drive a piece of heavy equipment (not that hard - just ask the kid in Tucson ), but another thing altogether to know how to operate it effectively and efficiently!

Add to that the fact there is already a shortage of workers due to the great amount of construction projects being done thoughout the metro area.

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"...fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please."
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Russ Smith

Wow I'm surprised they have other people onsite. Usually construction unions are hard core, if any one trade is picketing the rest refuse to cross.

In California they go so far as to refuse to work on a job if ANY trade used is non union. It's getting rarer but when we moved over a year ago the construction foreman didn't want to use our electricians because they were non union. So he waited until the last possible second to get their bid, and then said they couldn't get the bid in on time. We were quite pissed since we had a really good relationship with our electricians.

__________________
“Your expectations always exceed outside expectations. I feel like you just can’t stop working, can’t stop getting better, because I’ll be a failure in my eyes before I’m a failure in someone else’s eyes.” -- Arron Afflalo

ajcardfan

That's why the union has more leverage than usual in this situation. Replacing them could be done, but it would surely hurt in terms of time and money.

__________________
We live in a world which is full of misery and ignorance, and the plain duty of each and all of us is to try to make the little corner he can influence somewhat less miserable and somewhat less ignorant than it was before he entered it.

T.H. Huxley

ActingWild

Wait...a 200% increase in pay is considered a "fair shake?" I have no clue what a heavy machinary operator makes but if they were making $40,000 then they're saying that they now want $80,000? This could get ugly.

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The measure of one's individual liberty is matched only by their acceptance of personal responsibility. Without the latter the former will cease to exist.

BEERZ

Where do I send my app?

I am a Heavy Equipment Operator & I need my seats to be ready on time!!!

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Quit inserting logic into my fantasy.-jf-08