Picketing workers slow progress at four campus construction sites

A strike at four building sites on campus slowed construction progress this week. But the walk off will not significantly delay the completion times for any of the projects, said University Architect Bob Meadows.\nAbout 50 workers from the Laborers International Union Local 741 stopped work on projects across campus Monday after contract negations bogged down between the union and the Indiana Construction Association, said Bobby Minton, a field representative for the Laborers Local 741. The strike targeted four general contracting firms that IU hired for the construction project, not the University itself.\nOn Wednesday and Thursday, the workers picketed the construction site for IU’s new Multidisciplinary Science Building II, which is behind the Psychology Building, and Memorial Stadium’s north end zone project.\nThe workers also walked off, but did not picket, the new School of Optometry clinic and the basketball practice facility. Both sites are under construction.\nHowever, the union and the construction association reached an agreement Thursday night and workers were back on the job Friday, Minton said.\nDespite losing nearly a week's worth of work, Meadows said he is not concerned about the slowdown. The Laborer’s International only represents a portion of construction workers who are at the sites on any given day, he said.\n“To lose a couple of days, they most likely will make it up. It’s not really much difference. It will not represent a significant delay at all,” he said.\nIn fact, Meadows added, a crane at the site that was rendered inoperable after flooding Wednesday knocked out electricity to the Psychology Building has interrupted construction at MSBII more than the strike did.\nThe Bloomington-based Laborers International Local 741 represents about 1,600 workers. The members of the Local 741 went on strike along with union members in five other Indiana cities.