Sherwin Williams Project: Violation of Public Trust on Labor Rights

 City of Emeryville Screws Construction Workers at Sherwin Williams Site

Dirty Double Deal as Workers Paid Substandard Wages in Our Name

News Analysis/Opinion

Conspicuous on Horton Street at the Sherwin Williams construction site recently is a large three dimensional representation of veiled black death and a huge thumbs down sign among other signs decrying unfair labor practices.  It's an embarrassment for our town as workers very visibly demonstrate a labor dispute with two sub-contracting firms building the Sherwin Williams project, something the City of Emeryville promised would not happen when this project was approved.  The two  firms, Steelwave Development and Lusardi Construction, have been cited by the demonstrating union workers at the project site over the last few weeks as reneging on the promise that the project be constructed with prevailing union wages that the City of Emeryville had guaranteed. 

The fact that the Sherwin Williams project, the largest construction project in years in Emeryville, is being built in violation of the agreement and so hurting workers in the community is bad for labor of course but the breach of trust violates the City's word as far as the local citizens are concerned too.  The people of Emeryville were promised this project would not be built by oppressing the workers building it.  Had we been told substandard wages would be paid by the subcontractors, we might well have protested this project.  But the City of Emeryville wanted this project to be built and so to get us on board, they assured us this would not happen.  They bought community peace with the assurance the workers would be paid prevailing union wages.  

Now we come to find out it was all a sham by the City of Emeryville.  This Sherwin Williams project is being constructed at the expense of local workers and its being done in our name.  

We admonish the two firms, Steelwave LLC and Lusardi Construction for screwing their workers in our city of course.  But these are profit driven corporations who can be counted on to always do what they think they can get away with as they seek to maximize their profits.  Corporations lie, cheat and steal as far as the law allows; that's to be expected.  So as far as their honor goes, we appeal to them to do the right thing.   But we're not holding our breath they're going to anything but continue to screw their workers as long as they feel they can get away with it.  And they know they can get away with it in a push over pro-development city like Emeryville.

All the parties concerned; Steelwave LLC, Lusardi Construction, the general contractor Lennar Development and Mayor Dianne Martinez as well as the City of Emeryville refused to comment on this.  We expect silence from the contractors but the City of Emeryville has to behave in a transparent manner.   This is public policy.  We want to know what City Hall is going to do about this.

We're calling out the City of Emeryville for this dirty double deal, screwing workers in our name.  We say the City has to make this right.  They made their promise to us, the resident citizens of this town, and now they have to step in and fix this.   

A city that loves developers is willing to screw workers. 
Emeryville promised us this wouldn't happen as long as we supported this project.

Stanford Health Care Draws Labor Dispute

Stanford Health Care Low Wage Policies for Contractors at Odds With Emeryville Values 

Stanford Health Care, a large out patient health services clinic on Hollis Street that opened up just last year to great City Hall generated fanfare is in the midsts of a labor dispute with a local union for hiring contractors that don't pay prevailing wages and/or provide sub-standard benefits.  The primary union in the dispute, Carpenters local 713 says they set up a protest on Hollis Street because Stanford Valley Care, a Stanford Health Care affiliate is not operating in good faith and is undermining community values by "denying its workers area standard wages and benefits."  Other Bay Area Stanford Health Care centers have been the site of similar protests.

The sting of a labor dispute is perhaps a bit more painful in Emeryville.  The town has distinguished itself by seeing to it workers here are paid a living wage, our Minimum Wage Ordinance famously is among the most progressive in the nation.

Just a few years ago with hopes brimming for a respected community health facility to be realized for our town, Stanford hosted a gala ribbon cutting ceremony, attended by local dignitaries as work was begun building the Hollis Street clinic site. The full City Council was in attendance along with the CEO David Entwistle as the politicians took to the mic, pouring on the bombast about how Emeryville's newest corporate partner will be an asset to the community, "Stanford has worked at integrating into our community" gushed then Mayor Scott Donahue, large scissors proudly at the ready.

That was then...now Stanford has been revealed to be just another corporate entity that does not honor labor.  Overheated politician talk of 'community asset' and 'integrating into our community' now serves as a reminder that building community is a unglamorous and ongoing process, best when it's free from glad handing and self congratulating politicians.