Tulsa World: Union uses homeless for protests

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Saturday, November 21, 2009 | WIRELESS

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Union uses homeless for protests
Carpenters are waging a "shame" campaign against nonunion shop.

A group of people, including Charles Williams of Tulsa, protests Friday. A carpenters union has paid homeless people to picket a nonunion contractor. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World

By OMER GILLHAM World Staff Writer
Published: 3/21/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 3/21/2009 3:04 AM

The carpenters union has hired dozens of homeless people to stand in for union members to wage a "shame" campaign against a nonunion contractor, a Tulsa World investigation shows.

The Local 943 Carpenters Union has organized a 2-year effort to coerce Green Country Interiors Inc. to pay union wages and benefits to its construction workers, said David Hannagan, president and part owner of Green Country.

Beginning in April 2007, the carpenters union began placing personnel and large banners at businesses that had hired Green Country for construction work. At the first site, Crowne Plaza Hotel, 100 E. Second St., the banner states: "Shame on Crowne Plaza" and "Labor Dispute."

"I guess they want to impugn my reputation to force us into signing a union contract, and I am not going to do that," Hannagan said. "We pay wages and benefits that are comparable with or above area standards. The personal attacks are over the top."

Hannagan said the union recently stepped up its efforts by placing a banner at his neighborhood entrance on 61st Street in south Tulsa. The banner states: "Shame on David Hannagan."

The banners and handbills represent a public-awareness campaign, which is allowed by the National Labor Relations Act, said union attorney Jay Youngdahl.

"When an employer is paying substandard wages for the area, it has the effect of driving down wages and has a ripple effect that drives down wages and standards for the area," Youngdahl said.

Hannagan

said the average pay for a Green Country worker is $16 an hour with journeymen earning between $14 and $18 an hour.

Meanwhile, union organizers are hiring homeless and needy people to erect banners at various businesses that have hired Hannagan's company for construction work, according to the World investigation.

Youngdahl said it is common for the union to hire people to display banners and to give out handbills.

"The majority of the bannerers are homeless and needy people, but we believe this is one way to highlight the issues," Youngdahl said. "The carpenters are working, so what are you going to do? Not raise the issues? We talked about this, and we realized that it was a dual purpose of putting people to work and raising awareness of the issues."

During the past two years, the union has employed about 200 individuals served by the Iron Gate program housed at Trinity Episcopal Church, said Wiley Lee, a spokesman for the carpenter's union.

"You have to understand that we hired these individuals, and they are union employees," Lee said. "They pay taxes and contribute to the economy. Many have gone on to full-time jobs."

When asked if the homeless workers earn union pay and benefits, Lee said the workers are temporary employees without a benefits package because of their status. They earn $10 an hour and work between 20 and 30 hours a week.

The Iron Gate program feeds about 400 homeless and jobless people each day, said Executive Director Connie Cronley. "We have no job referral program, so our clients must have heard about the work through fliers from the union," Cronley said.

In addition to hanging the banners, the union is sending letters to potential Hannagan customers, warning them that they will see banners showing up at their businesses if they hire Hannagan, according to records obtained by the World.

Green Country Interiors is a nonunion shop that employs about 220 carpenters, drywallers and laborers, Hannagan said. The Tulsa company has annual revenues totaling between $30 million and $40 million, he said.

In addition to Crowne Plaza and Hannagan's neighborhood, other places with union banners are the Mayo Hotel, IBC Bank, St. Francis Hospital and Hillcrest Medical Center, Hannagan said.

Hannagan is a respected subcontractor who has spent 30 years building up his business, said Brad Bendure, his attorney.

The average pay and benefits at Green Country are favorably comparable with the Davis-Bacon Act, the act determining wages for federally funded projects, Bendure said. Benefits include a 401k plan with 75 percent of health insurance being paid for by Green Country.

Without offering specific figures, Youngdahl said Green Country's employment package is substandard when compared with the union's hourly wage, pension, health care benefits and training.

Omer Gillham 581-8301
omer.gillham@tulsaworld.com By OMER GILLHAM World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Tony G, Tulsa (3/21/2009 6:35:23 AM) It seems to me, to many people want their employers to pay for THEIR expenses. I believe your retirement and your medical are YOUR problems. Unions are good about keeping decent wages-but other than that they are a strain on business. When you buy that new car, thousands of your dollars are paying for someone's retirement, someone's medical insurance, on and on.
	Report Comment Civil Engr, Tulsa (3/21/2009 6:41:25 AM) Keep up the good work Mr. Hannagan. At least you're willing to publish your pay rates. And just think about it - if your employees unionized, all those homeless people would be out of a job. Let's hire some homeless people to run banners thanking Mr. Hannagan for his enterprise and honesty.
	Report Comment justiceawaits, Claremore (3/21/2009 7:03:12 AM) Seems like leagalized bullying to me.I know I just lost a lot of respect for the union.They did a lot of good at the turn of the last century getting rid of sweat shops that were clearly taking advatage of people.This seems way over the top.Power corrupts.
	Report Comment peelumba, (3/21/2009 7:17:24 AM) right to work like it or not get over it
	Report Comment Eagle 4, Tulsa (3/21/2009 7:31:54 AM) Yeah, Hannagan's already running a charity - 220 employees making 16-18 bucks an hour is 35-39 million dollars! What a great guy! Guess he just throws in the materials, etc. Was he in on the Bailout? I bet his accountant is sweating bullets!
	Report Comment Bill Hader, Jenks (3/21/2009 7:54:03 AM) Wonder if the homeless are making union wages and benefits while working for the union? Or is it the only good for the goose not the gander?
	Report Comment Scooter1, Tulsa (3/21/2009 8:13:50 AM) Why don't the union thugs just start beating up non-union workers like the old days. Some things never change. No wonder unions have such a bad reputation. Hang in there Hannagan.
	Report Comment CWG, Tulsa (3/21/2009 8:47:58 AM) Having worked at union and non-union establishments, given a choice, it's non-union for me. Scabs do better work than bullies.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (3/21/2009 8:54:10 AM) I always practice my right of free choice. If I felt that my employers wasn't treating me right or underpaying me I would go to his competitor. During my working career that never failed.
	Report Comment Eagle 4, Tulsa (3/21/2009 8:57:09 AM) Why don't strikebreakers just start shooting union members like the old days? Some things never change. No wonder Robber Barons have such a bad reputation. Hang in there, unions! How does the flip side sound, baronettes?
	Report Comment EmpowerTulsa, (3/21/2009 9:35:03 AM) There is no violence here. Protests have made this country great. Hannegan needs to do the right thing. Keep up your efforts carpenters. You deserve to be heard.
	Report Comment Navin Johnson, (3/21/2009 10:28:18 AM) Unions are just as responsible as banks and mortgage companies for this financial mess we're in. The UAW has almost single-handedly destroyed Detroit. Now this. What a double-standard: using non-union workers to protest the hiring of non-union workers. Unions serve no purpose other than to put people out of business and bully business owners who refuse to play ball. Good for you, Mr. Hannagan.
	Report Comment Eagle 4, Tulsa (3/21/2009 11:40:03 AM) Navin, you starred in that movie, The Jerk, didn't you? "...no other purpose than to put people out of business..." WOW! THAT must really help in paying their union dues! LOL
	Report Comment WilliamTheArtist, (3/21/2009 1:03:47 PM) Well hey, on the bright side this is lots of free advertising for Green Country Interiors, a local company that I hadnt heard of before... This protesting isnt really hurting their business any that I can see. Plus there is the side benefit that anyone who hires them can now also know that they are helping the homeless get jobs. :-) Win Win for all the local folk.
	Report Comment The Reaper, Hells Gate (3/21/2009 1:55:41 PM) Would have been nice if the TW would have listed the Unions wages and benefit package so everyone would know what the fuss is about, only listing Green Country's wages only tells half the story.
	Report Comment Scooter1, Tulsa (3/21/2009 3:04:21 PM) You should read some research on how much the UAW contract adds to the price of each car made in Detroit. You will be shocked.
	Report Comment Anne M. Green, Tulsa (3/21/2009 3:10:56 PM) If I were a carpenter's union member, I would think there would be a better use of my union dues than to pay for protests. Fliers, banners, hiring protesters? Why not use the dues to solicit more JOBS, instead of spending it to "intimidate others?" If the union's work is inherently better than non-union, then won't that generate plenty of work for the union members? Won't the differende be so apparent that no-one will want non-union workers? If someone still wants to pay a lower wage for the non-union carpenter's "shoddy workmanship" then isn't that the free market at work? What is the union so afraid of? I'd say an inflated wage is what they are after, nothing else.
	Report Comment Anne M. Green, Tulsa (3/21/2009 3:11:30 PM) difference
	Report Comment owen, Tulsa (3/21/2009 4:06:41 PM) Well said, WilliamTheArtist.
	Report Comment tulsa_builder, Broken Arrow (3/21/2009 4:19:49 PM) I have been following this campaign for nearly a year. What the Carpenter's union is doing is shameful. If Union members want to picket a company, fine, but to hire temporary worker at "substandard" wages and no benefits, WOW! The biggest problem I have with the whole deal is the banners don't attack Green Country, they attack some fine community organization. To stand at 61st and Yale with a banner saying "Shame on Saint Francis" is why beyond the line. That organization gives millions in free health care each year. How dare the Union! This union should be ashamed and the community shouldn't tolerate this type of bullying. Hang in there Dave and the guys at WilJo, you will prevail!
	Report Comment Aggie, (3/21/2009 4:44:47 PM) So, did these people have to join a union to work for the union? No, I thought not. What a hoot!
	Report Comment Yepitsme, Tulsa County (3/21/2009 6:37:14 PM) My father said his union caused them to lose more work and wages than if they worked for a decent wage. He lost a new cars because the union was out on strike for nine months over a dollar tool they wanted them to furnish a few workers. My Dad was a union worker and he said he would never join another when he started his own business. The company my husband worked for had unions trying to enlist them. The workers kept turning the union down. I understand the wage scale has been helped by unions but happy we never had to have him go on strike, even though he voted union the the first three times but not the last as the company was comparable to union shops.
	Report Comment okie ridgerunner, small town (3/21/2009 8:35:41 PM) All i can say is i am glad some of the homeless are able to make some money.this is better than holding a sign saying will work for food.
	Report Comment WindRider, Heavener (3/21/2009 9:20:07 PM) Union greed and political clout is a great deal of whats wrong with the whole country and drives costs to an unreal level that gouges consumers. Hang in there Dave don't give in buddy, the meat cutters found out when they tried to take on Wal-Mart now no butchers in Wal-Mart and very little american beef but lots of non union Arkansas chicken...
	Report Comment tulsa_builder, Broken Arrow (3/21/2009 9:32:17 PM) I dare the carpenter's union to post what wages and benefits they consider "Standard" for Tulsa. Also while they are at it, post the dues they charge the membership and the entire compensation package for the union leadership. What do you want to bet we NEVER will see an answer to this request. Also, carpenter unions all over the country are doing the exact same thing and have been for sometime. Sure would like a labor lawyer to chime in on the fact that non-members of the union are walking the picket, are they afforded the same protection as union members??

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