Labor union, contractor at odds over hiring

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A simple labor dispute has escalated into a Carpenters' District Council-led scrutinizing of Oklahoma-based contractor Flintco Inc. |ret||ret||tab|

But the root of the issue in the minds of district council members is that Flintco doesn't utilize enough union laborers.|ret||ret||tab|

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The dispute|ret||ret||tab|

The dispute began in Janurary when members of the Carpen-ters' District Council Local 978 started picketing the work of subcontractor All American Concrete at Jordan Valley Park. The union claimed All American Concrete was committing unfair labor practices. |ret||ret||tab|

"It wasn't directly related to Flintco, it was another issue and they weren't even involved," said Art Kessler, organizer of the Carpenters' District Council, who organized the picketers. |ret||ret||tab|

"We felt that they were not picketing lawfully," said Bart Boatright, Flintco's regional manager.|ret||ret||tab|

Flintco objected, Kessler said, and "really tried to restrict us from being there." |ret||ret||tab|

"Flintco basically tried to keep us from performing the rights we're guaranteed by the National Labor Relations Act the right to picket," added Danny Hyde, the district council's business representative. "We filed a charge with the Labor Board and they found in our favor and they issued a complaint against the contractor." |ret||ret||tab|

The result was a settlement agreement signed by Flintco and the Carpenters' District Council, and approved by the National Labor Relations Board. |ret||ret||tab|

Flintco agreed to post a notice stating it wouldn't interfere with legal picketers. The notice was posted May 8 and by law must remain for 60 days.|ret||ret||tab|

Picketers can be found at any of Flintco's projects, including Jordan Valley Park, Central High School and Fire Station No. 8, as well as the offices at 2935 W. Chestnut Expwy.|ret||ret||tab|

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Union vs. nonunion|ret||ret||tab|

The settlement agreement is the only legal action taken in the matter. |ret||ret||tab|

Beyond that, the district council is just asking a lot of questions, Boatright said, mostly in regard to Flintco's use of nonunion employees and subcontractors.|ret||ret||tab|

Hyde admitted that was an issue and said the union would like "to get involved with them and help supply people."|ret||ret||tab|

"There's issues about them being an out-of-state contractor and draining money from the local economy and pumping it back to Oklahoma taking the tax base out of the community, instead of plugging it back in," added Kessler.|ret||ret||tab|

Boatright said of the 35 direct Flintco employees, only a handful came from the Tulsa headquarters. |ret||ret||tab|

Boatright has a few questions of his own: "Do they not want companies to come and grow in this area? If everything that comes here had to be union, what would happen to non-union contractors in Spring-field? We're not anti-union and we're not pro-union. We do business the way that we feel is the most appropriate for our business plan."|ret||ret||tab|

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Jordan Valley Park |ret||ret||tab|

Kessler and Hyde are quick to point out that Jordan Valley Park was not complete when the city held its grand opening weekend May 18. Crews are still working on it. |ret||ret||tab|

Jordan Valley Park project manager Benjamin Alexander cites an extremely detailed project design and rainy weather as the main reasons for the delay in completion. He does not blame the work of Flintco, or its subcontractors, and said the city is not involved with the dispute with Flintco. |ret||ret||tab|

However, he did say that some items were deemed unacceptable by inspectors and Flintco had to replace them.|ret||ret||tab|

"When they installed some items, there were some errors," he said. "We made them tear it out and get it right. Mistakes happen. Sometimes you can live with the mistake and make a modification and sometimes you tear it out.|ret||ret||tab|

"The level of detail is absolutely critical to this project, and if it takes a little bit longer to ensure we get that detail, it's no cost to the city," he said. |ret||ret||tab|

Alexander said the project is on budget, and that the contractor pays any extra expenses, unless a work change order is issued. |ret||ret||tab|

The city has issued a change order to the initial contract for a bathroom facility to go on the northeast corner of the park. Alexander said it would cost another $280,000, to be paid by the city. |ret||ret||tab|

Flintco will have extra time to complete the change order, he said. The initial contract was for $2.9 million, according to a city document.|ret||ret||tab|

As far as a new completion date, Alexander said a specific date has not been set. "It's certainly not May, when they said they would have it done." Finishing touches need to be made to the irrigation system and landscaping, he said.|ret||ret||tab|

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Parkview's JFK Stadium |ret||ret||tab|

The union also has targeted Flintco's work on Parkview High School's JFK Stadium. Kessler and Hyde raised questions regarding quality standards of some concrete platform bolts that had been installed off-center. The platforms hold the handrail of the walkway ramp. |ret||ret||tab|

Glenn Pace, Springfield Public Schools director of facilities maintenance and repair, said the questioning was unnecessary.|ret||ret||tab|

"That's a nothing deal," Pace said of the supports that were approved by the architect, the school, the city and the general contractor. But to make sure that wasn't going to be an issue, he ordered Flintco to center them. |ret||ret||tab|

"I'm not going to let us be an issue. (The labor union's) dispute is with Flintco and they're trying to use us," Pace said. "I won't be put in the middle."|ret||ret||tab|

Pace said Flintco's other school district project at Central High School is on time and on budget at $22,696,410.|ret||ret||tab|

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Public interest|ret||ret||tab|

But Hyde said the dispute is not just about union versus nonunion employees. |ret||ret||tab|

"It's not so much an issue for us, as it is for the public and taxpayers. From the public body's standpoint, there are a lot of tax dollars going out of the area," Hyde said. "They're competing with contractors in the area who do have people who are our members and residents of the local area, and (the public bodies) are not utilizing those contractors. There are plenty of companies here in town that are perfectly capable of doing that type of work."|ret||ret||tab|

However, the city considers Flintco a local contractor because it has a regional office here, according to Don Clark, a city purchasing agent. Clark said the city has no qualms with Flintco's work and recently named Flintco general contractor for the $836,400 renovations to the old City Hall.|ret||ret||tab|

Boatright said he and Flintco will continue doing business as usual.|ret||ret||tab|

"The last thing I want to do is have a controversial situation with the union," he said. "We had a disagreement over how they were picketing, but we're past that."|ret||ret||tab|

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