Union Protests Wage Dispute at Middle School

There were no giant inflatable rats, but another union labor dispute found its way to the village Monday, this time at G.W. Middle School.

Workers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Union (BAC) spent an hour Monday morning at dropoff time handing out literature that accuses district sub-contractor, Fortress Construction, of hiring illegal immigrants and not paying proper wages.

School board president Michele Lenhard, in a statement issued to Patch Monday afternoon, said the district is aware of the allegation and has provided necessary paperwork to the state Department of Labor (DOL). The labor department requested the paperwork from the district last week after complaints by the bricklayer union. The BAC Local 4 could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

According to Lenhard, Bennett Construction, the district's general contractor on the work at G.W., hired Fortress to complete the brick facade at the school as part of the ongoing referendum work.

"A representative of the DOL also visited with Bennett Construction and Bennett cooperated fully with their inquiries," Lenhard said. She remarked that the board's responsibility is to "collect the certification" of paid wages provided by the contractor. But, the school board president said, the DOL is the one charged with determining if any of the BAC’s allegations have merit, not the district.

"The DOL will address any findings with the contractor and the subcontractor," she said.

Ridgewood Police Captain Jacqueline Luthcke said officers instructed the BAC reps they were allowed to be on the sidewalk, but that was all. No summonses or citations were issued, Luthcke said.

when a carpenters union started a turf fight with a general contractor and rival union member. Large inflatable rats were placed in the street before police intervened and the union left peacefully.