Union protests company wages and benefits

Union carpenters of Connecticut gathered early yesterday afternoon in order to bring attention to the business practices of Allstate Inc. in front of the Storrs Center construction site, on the corner of Route 195 and Dog Lane.

The union protested that the New York based company does not meet area standards for wages and benefits for their employees. Another issue the group brought to light was the fact that Allstate did not hire in-state carpenters to work on the project. Which they feel is irresponsible given the state's high unemployment rate.

"It's a great project for the town and it's good for the community, but our concern is for the workers getting the area standards of wages and benefits," said Chris Bachant, a union carpenter and business representative organizer. "Allstate does not pay the standard wages."

With a little over a dozen union members present at the Storrs Center construction site, armed with loud noise makers, the protestors made sure their presence was well known to the surrounding area. They placed an inflatable rat in front of the site in order to bring more attention to the situation. This is the group's second time demonstrating at the site and they plan to come back again next week.

The carpenter's union has been looking into the site project since the developing stages back in 2006. They have tried to bring their concerns to the attention of the mayor and town council and have attended multiple town meetings while gaining few results.

Another main concern is the safety of workers, according to Tim Sullivan, a council representative, who referenced the scaffolding accident that took place a few weeks prior.

"I understand that times are tough and people need work, but we want to make sure they don't jeopardize their lives in order to keep their jobs," said Sullivan. "They also need to be paid fair wages."

The demonstrations want to advocate that workers need to be treated fairly on the job. According to the union, they faced a similar situation back in 2000 - 2001 when Husky Village was under construction and the university hired an out of state company that was not meeting Connecticut standards.

The group stayed until 1 p.m. chanting and made sure that the public was well informed on the current situation. They also handed out packets filled with information on the organization and why they were demonstrating. There were also a few articles from local newspapers showing letters to the editors and showing how long the campaign has been on going for.

"People need to understand we are here to represent all carpenters. Misclassification of workers is running rampant in the state and we need to get the public aware," said Bachant. "No one deserves to get below standard wages."