Not playing around: Sheet Metal Workers 36 places Playtime Party Center on ‘We Do Not Patronize’ list

HVAC contractor Peters Heating & Air Conditioning pays below area standard wages and benefits

Wentzville, MO – SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 is calling on all union members, their families and friends not to patronize the new Playtime Party Center in Wentzville for using non-union contractor Peters Heating & Air Condition, which pays below area standard wages and benefits.
Local 36 Business Representative Christopher A. Brunnert said Peters Heating was hired by the business owner Todd Bishop, not with the general contractor.
The general contractor, Lamb Construction used union craftsmen on every other part of the project and specifically advised Bishop to use a union HVAC contractor, however, Bishop rejected the union bids and chose to hire non-union Peters Heating.
In response, Playtime Party Center has been placed on the St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council’s “We Do Not Patronize” list and union members and their families are urged not to frequent the establishment.

NEED FOR SOLIDARITY

Unfortunately, Bishop’s use of non-union Peters Heating was not the only problem on the project.
Brunnert said when Local 36 put up a picket at the Wentzville location, union craftsmen from three different building trades crossed the picket line until advised by their union business representatives not to do so.
That, he said, was disappointing.
“The work we did to defeat ‘right-to-work’ (Prop A) was for nothing if we’re not going to have solidarity for one another on the job,” Brunnert said.
He added that the business reps. for the other trades were quick to correct their members when they were notified of the situation.

‘ONLY AS STRONG AS OUR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER’

“This is about solidarity,” said Local 36 President-Business Manager Ray Reasons II. “We’re only as strong as our commitment to each other, and that means respecting one another’s pickets.”
Union members take note: Protect quality jobs and working conditions, do not patronize Playtime Party Center in Wentzville or any business on the “We Do Not Patronize” list.