by Cha-Cha Connor & Kevin Ksen

The Crowne Plaza Hotel has decided to do $4 million dollar renovations using contractors from out of state - bringing contractors in from states as far away as Maryland and Virginia. Local 107, the Worcester Carpenter's Union, along with several other local trade unions, weren't even asked to bid on the project.

That only rubs salt in the wound caused by Crowne Plaza’s betrayal of Local 107. Jack Donahue, Business Manager for Worcester’s Carpenters Union had hard words for the Crowne Plaza at the rally last Thursday, drilling home the fact that Carpenters had collectively spent over $1 million dollars over the past 10 years holding their annual dinner and other events in the hotel’s function hall.

In solidarity with the Carpenter’s local, Sandra Ellis, organizer for the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), was the first union organizer to pull an upcoming MNA function out of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Meanwhile Sheriff Guy Glodis stood in the back of a pick-up truck shouting and promising never to book another event beyond their revolving door.

The renovation jobs at the Crowne Plaza Hotel could have, and should have, been for local workers. The Crowne Plaza is happy to have our local business - but it seems that they aren't so willing to provide local jobs to local people. With so many people in Worcester already out of work, taking local jobs away is taking much needed income away from families in our neighborhoods.

It’s not the first time that the union has proudly stood up and trumpeted the cause of jobs for working people in Worcester.

A year ago, Local 107 called out Worcester Common Ground (WCG), a local community development corporation on their hiring practices and carpetbagging contractors’ failure to pay the legally required prevailing wages to contracted employees. Originally dismissed as a simple mistake, Worcester Business Manager Jack Donahue recounts being told the shenanigans totaled an eye-catching tune of $300,000. As part of WCG’s re-development of 9 May St. into housing there had been promises to Carpenter Union members, African-American community leaders and community residents that there would be jobs for neighborhood residents and community members. Against these assurances, the contracting work instead went first and foremost to non-Massachusetts residents, and the only Piedmont and Main South neighborhood residents that got any work out of the $14 million project were the people of color brought in to do forced labor from the West Boylston House of Corrections. It’s a black-eye which leads many to question CDCs’ true commitment to addressing white privileged, minority employment and local economics.

With the recently announced Mayo Group development plans for the Downtown/Portland St. area, Local 107 has resumed standouts on Franklin Street targeting the Mayo Group for their known abuses. In January, a Worcester grand jury returned an indictment against the Boston-based Mayo Group, based on charges of violations to the Clean Air Act and illegal disposal of asbestos removed from their 50 Franklin St. property. Ongoing frustrations also include failing to meet the prevailing wage with contracted workers and not offering work benefits. ”Shame on Mayo Group” calls attention to a union action outside the Mayo Group’s Boston headquarters.

Local 107’s activity is not limited to challenging those that have acted unjustly, robbing local people of jobs. The Carpenters have also stood proudly and publicly side-by-side with local immigrant communities and neighborhood groups. They have been key allies over the last two years as part of the Worcester Immigrant Coalition’s May 1st “Workers Seeking Justice for All” rallies, and for a time housed the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition’s Worcester offices within their walls. More recently, the Carpenters have acted in support of the Save Our Poolz campaign to rebuild Worcester’s nine neighborhood swimming pools.

Union members have also been quick to step-in and roll-up their sleeves, joining Green Island residents in building the community ice skating rink in Crompton Park, and working with Stone Soup at 4 King Street.

The Carpenters’ loud voice for justice has earned them a strong embrace not only in Worcester’s progressive community, but within Worcester’s more committed activist and radical social change circles.
They’ve stood with us, and last Thursday, hundreds of allies had the opportunity to stand with them.

There’s still more we can do. The Crowne Plaza Hotel Manager, Howard Sobel, can be reached at 508-751-6500. Local 107 is asking friends and allies to call him to voice your disgust that the Crowne Plaza would take jobs away from workers in Worcester after getting so much local business from the people who live here. Even after protesting, Mr. Sobel needs to hear that people in Worcester are still upset and will be watching his next move.

Michael and Starr, Plumbers & Pifitters Local #4

Sandy Ellis with MNA Representatives

Toxic Soilbusters

Guy Glodis

Grace Ross

Glady Rodriguez - Cong. McGovern's Office

Guy Glodis

Doug Belanger

Grace Ross

Manny Gines