Union Decries Drywall Workers’ Pay
A union trying to organize Southern California drywall workers is protesting what it calls substandard compensation for some workers renovating an office building owned by the Orange County Employees Retirement System.
Carpenters Local Union 1506 says the project’s interior wall subcontractor, Orange-based Best Interiors Inc., doesn’t pay prevailing wages or provide health care and pensions to many workers.
“The community ends up paying the tab for health care,†the union said in fliers handed out at the Orange County Civic Center. “OCERS is the money behind the new office construction, and Local 1506 believes OCERS has an obligation to the community to see that area labor standards are met.†Tom Fox, vice chairman of the retirement system’s board, said the pension fund bought the building on Wellington Avenue in Santa Ana as an investment and wasn’t directly involved in hiring workers. “I’m going to continue to ignore†pressure from the Carpenters Union, Fox said. “If there’s an issue with the contractor or the subcontractor, they should take it up with them.â€
Best Interiors President Steve Foran said his nonunion company has “a very competitive compensation and benefit package.†He accused the union of trying for two years to put him out of business because “we have the flexibility to pay for performance rather than paying a mandated ‘prevailing wage.’ â€
E. Scott Reckard covers workplace issues for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-7407 and at [email protected]
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