Construction Company For Waterbury City Hall Project Rejects Fair Pay & Benefits Labor Agreement

(Waterbury, CT) -- The Connecticut Laborers’ District Council announced today that Connecticut construction workers will begin an ongoing informational protest this week in front of the former Waterbury City Hall building, 235 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT, in response to the decision made by Downes Construction to reject a longstanding labor agreement with the Connecticut Laborers’ District Council. Downes Construction is currently the construction management company responsible for the renovations currently being made to the City Hall building.

“Since 1934, Downes Construction has been an important construction industry partner with the Laborers’. However, with a new CEO in place, the company seems to be taking the wrong direction as it seeks to maximize profits. By walking away from this labor agreement, Downes Construction closes the door on local workers and support for our local economy by declining to participate in our local apprenticeship program,” explained Charles LeConche, business manager, Connecticut Laborers’ District Council.

Waterbury’s City Hall was designed and built in 1915 by Cass Gilbert, architect of New York’s first skyscraper, the Woolworth building and the U.S. Supreme Court building. The 90,000 square foot, three-story, brick, marble and limestone Colonial Revival style building was an integral part of Cass Gilbert’s vision of a “Grand Street” in the heart of Waterbury. Overall, the Waterbury Development Corporation’s Administration Group and Project Management Group (www.wdconline.org) is responsible for the construction time-table, budget and development of City Hall and various other projects. “I believe we need to make board members from the Waterbury Development Corporation aware of Downes Construction’s decision to turn away from community resources along with minority and career training programs. Of all of the community buildings in Waterbury and all of the development work ahead, there is no way that Waterbury area workers and resources should be left out in the cold as the future City Hall building is renovated. Downes Construction needs to make a step in the right direction and start supporting our community,” said LeConche.

According to its Web site, Downes Construction, based in New Britain, CT, is a construction services firm that delivers a combination of technology and staff experience. The company is led by Joseph N. Desautel, Jr., jdesautel@downesco.com; John E. Downes, III, president, jdownesjr@downesco.com; Mark Tarpill, CFO, mtarpill@downesco.com; and Thomas J. Costello, V.P., tcostello@downesco.com. More information about Downes Construction can be found by visiting www.downesco.com.

The Connecticut Laborers’ District Council, a member of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, represents approximately 8,000 members employed in the construction industry and other building and trade fields throughout the state. The Laborers’ International Union of North America, founded in 1903 largely by immigrant workers, includes more than 800,000 members who work in construction and hazardous materials remediation, as well as in healthcare, the U.S.. Postal Service and other public service sectors of the economy. For more information, visit www.ctlpl.com or call 860.296.8697.

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