NEW YORK—Carpenters lined up around the World Trade Center construction site at 7 a.m. on Oct. 2 to support colleagues that could be facing a pay cut who work on the underground transportation hub.
Negotiations between the Cement League and transportation hub workers broke down yesterday, but another meeting is scheduled for today at 2:30 p.m.
Jeremy Milin, a business agent for New York City District Council of Carpenters, said the carpenters have worked for the last two years without a new contract.
“They [The Cement League] want workers to take a 20 percent pay cut,” Milin said.
John Brunetti from the Cement League said the breakdown in negotiations Tuesday was over a 20 percent reduction in wages for carpenters in the outer boroughs, and not the workers at the transportation hub at the World Trade Center site.
According to Milin, the Vehicular Security Center parking garage across the street was paying their carpenters the normal rate.
“The company has no problem paying our guys what they are worth,” Milin said.
Only at the transportation hub were there problems, according to the workers.
The workers could be back at work tomorrow if negotiations today are successful.
About 200 workers lined up in three locations around the World Trade Center at 9 a.m. Most of them do not work on the transportation hub, but wanted to show their support for their colleagues.
John Arcese, who works on the Cortlandt Street subway station, and is a member of Local 157, said he wanted to support his brothers.
“We want the prevailing wages, because they are gypping them out of wages,” Arcese said.
