As you travel about the state for work or play, the 17 unions of the Duluth Building & Construction Trades Council would like you to remember how their members were treated in Moose Lake.
During last summer's new construction of the Moose Lake Municipal bar & liquor store the Trades were unable to get prevailing wage language for the project from City Administrator Dave Talbot.
"We met with Dave Talbot, who was less than supportive of our attempt to have local workers and union contractors on the project," said Laborers Local 1091 Business Representative Dan Olson.
You may remember Talbot as a member of former Duluth mayor John Fedo's Trades-friendly administration in Duluth in the 1980s.
Norm Voorhees, business representative for Ironworkers Local 512, said at one meeting with Talbot he said, "I don't know why I'm even talking to you guys."
Talbot gave the contract to Mark Haug of Pine City who was the non-union, general contractor on the job, which was picketed by many members of many unions. Haug and his family tried to intimidate the picketers with cameras and insults as he went about his shoddy work.
Haug twice had to remove 1000 cubic yards of fill dirt that didn't pass compaction. Moose Lake's city inspector Bruce Lourey caught Haug circumventing bid requirements even as the first concrete truck arrived to pour footings.
The job's over, the Muni is open, but the union members would like people to remember the history of the fancy new surroundings when the decide where they will spend their hard earned dollars.
"We didn't get anywhere with them when we tried to work with them on behalf of our members who live there," said Olson. "We'd like everyone to go anywhere else."
Larry Sillanpa edits the Labor World, the official publication of the Duluth Central Labor Body. E-mail him at laborworld@qwest.net
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As you travel about the state for work or play, the 17 unions of the Duluth Building & Construction Trades Council would like you to remember how their members were treated in Moose Lake.
During last summer’s new construction of the Moose Lake Municipal bar & liquor store the Trades were unable to get prevailing wage language for the project from City Administrator Dave Talbot.
“We met with Dave Talbot, who was less than supportive of our attempt to have local workers and union contractors on the project,” said Laborers Local 1091 Business Representative Dan Olson.
You may remember Talbot as a member of former Duluth mayor John Fedo’s Trades-friendly administration in Duluth in the 1980s.
Norm Voorhees, business representative for Ironworkers Local 512, said at one meeting with Talbot he said, “I don’t know why I’m even talking to you guys.”
Talbot gave the contract to Mark Haug of Pine City who was the non-union, general contractor on the job, which was picketed by many members of many unions. Haug and his family tried to intimidate the picketers with cameras and insults as he went about his shoddy work.
Haug twice had to remove 1000 cubic yards of fill dirt that didn’t pass compaction. Moose Lake’s city inspector Bruce Lourey caught Haug circumventing bid requirements even as the first concrete truck arrived to pour footings.
The job’s over, the Muni is open, but the union members would like people to remember the history of the fancy new surroundings when the decide where they will spend their hard earned dollars.
“We didn’t get anywhere with them when we tried to work with them on behalf of our members who live there,” said Olson. “We’d like everyone to go anywhere else.”
Larry Sillanpa edits the Labor World, the official publication of the Duluth Central Labor Body. E-mail him at laborworld@qwest.net