(WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA) - Six Members of Ironworkers Local 489 picketed earlier this week outside the $35 million Science Building being constructed at Wilkes University, upset that an Out-Of-Town Company - rather than Local Workers - was hired to erect the Building's Steel.  The news comes just days after the City of Scranton moved to pay its Public Workers – including Police Officer and Firefighters – the Minimum Wage.

"This isn't a Non-Union or a Union Issue. This is just that they are ‘not hiring’ Local People," Ironworkers Local 489 President Tom Regan said.  "You have Qualified Journeyman Ironworkers here who’d be more than happy to be working on this Project.  They're Local People. They live within five miles of the site.  It really boils down to the Contractor does not hire our Local People. They're taking paychecks out of the area and we'd be more than happy to spend it here."

Wilkes University Officials said the Structural Steel Work was bid competitively and that Wilkes simply picked the bidder who would do the best work for the cheapest price.  Steel Fab Enterprises of Lancaster (Pennsylvania) was chosen as the low-bidder among highly qualified firms, Spokeswoman Vicki Mayk said, and the firm hired a subcontractor to do the Steel Structural Installation Work.  "Wilkes University is committed to completing work on its Science Building cost-effectively, using the most qualified Contractors and Subcontractors," said Mayk, who added said the Firm uses Non-Union Workers, but Wilkes University is committed to paying Workers Fair Wages.  All Contracts for the Science Building stipulate Workers must be paid the Prevailing Wage set by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.  "The Prevailing Wage is, in fact, the same Wage paid to Union Workers," Mayk said. "Contractors submit Notarized Payroll Statements confirming that this Wage Requirement is met.”

Wilkes' Contract stipulates the Prevailing Wage must be paid to any Subcontractor, Mayk said. Union Workers were used by Panzitta Enterprises for the Foundation Work and four Union Workers were employed for 167 days, she said.  Sordoni Construction is the Construction Manager for the Project being built near the Stark Learning Center on South River Street.  Jennifer Davis, who serves as Vice President of Business Development for Sordoni Construction, said Wilkes awarded Contracts to the lowest responsible bidders.  "It was an open and competitive bid process," she said.

When complete, the Four-Story Science Building will house the University's Biology and Health Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Environmental Engineering and Earth Science Programs.  The Building is slated to open in the Fall of 2013.