
By SHERI GASSAWAY
Correspondent
St. Louis – A Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 picket at a student housing complex under construction at 3765 Lindell Blvd. led to all the building trades workers at the site walking off the job May 27.
Local 36 set up the job action after Brinkmann, the project’s general contractor, hired 7400 Construction, a non-union, out-of-town contractor that pays substandard wages, to install metal siding on the building.
Local 36 Business Representative Dan Sutter posted an announcement about the picket on the Pro-Union St. Louis Facebook page, where it immediately garnered more than 100 comments and shares.
“I just want to thank all the brother and sister members that left the job today,” he wrote. “Shame on Brinkmann for bringing them to town.”
Sutter said 7400 Construction, based in Colwich, Kansas, undercut Local 36’s contractors’ bids by one third. He added that the company also used cheaper materials on the work.
Founded in 1891, Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 represents about 2,700 members who specialize in a variety of fields, including servicing and installing HVAC, architectural metals, industrial and residential systems. For more information, visit sheetmetal 36.org.