Friday July 30, 1999
OLD WESTBURY, N.Y., July 30 /PRNewswire/
-- Hundreds of Long Island union construction workers and community
activists today demonstrated outside the main entrance of the
State University of New York, Old Westbury College, to call attention
to the New York State University Construction Fund's decision
to award the $14 million new Student Union construction project
to an out-of-state, unsafe contractor. The demonstrators were
joined by the 15-foot inflatable "rat," which has come
to symbolize unfair, unsafe contractors throughout the metropolitan
New York region. "We are here today, to let the members
of the Old Westbury College community, both faculty and students,
know that their safety and well being is at risk," said Pat
Piscitelli, Business Manager and Secretary Treasurer of General
Building Laborers' Local 66. "By awarding Roy Kay this contract,
the University Construction Fund has acted with reckless disregard
for the safety of the workers and the public."
Roy Kay, Inc., headquartered in Freehold,
New Jersey has a long history of safety violations, and irresponsible
business practices. In May 1999 the New York State Dormitory Authority,
citing a long list of unsatisfactory and unsafe work, denied Roy
Kay's bid on the $9 million rehabilitation and expansion of the
Brooklyn College Library. "It makes no sense " said Bobby
Bonanza, President of Local 66. "One state agency cites Roy
Kay as 'not a responsible contractor,' while another awards it
a $14 million contract. This is a classic example of the left
hand, not knowing what the right hand is doing."
"Months ago we met with the state officials
to raise our concerns," said Bonanza. "We provided them
with example after example of Roy Kay's irresponsible, dangerous
actions. Queensborough Community College, Hunter College, City
College, New York Psychiatric Institute, Baruch College, have all been the victim of Roy Kay's shoddy,
dangerous business practices. It's a crime, that with so many
responsible, good contractors on Long Island and in New York, state officials have chosen
an out-of-state 'rat' contractor."
"Hopefully our presence here today,
with the help of our friend the 'rat,' will call to the public's
attention the real danger that Roy Kay presents to our community,"
added Piscitelli.
The General Building Laborers' Local 66 represents
over 2,000 union construction laborers in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
They are affiliated with the 13,000 member Mason Tenders District
Council of Greater New York and Long Island and the Laborers'
International Union of North America, AFL-CIO.
SOURCE: General Building Laborers' Local
Union No. 66
Copyright 1998, PR
Newswire