Laborers Urge Environmental Company in Massena To Employ Local Union Workers

Informational pickets by members of Laborers’ Local 1822 drew attention to work being done by a company that they say has no local collective bargaining agreement with the union.

Informational pickets were set up at two gates at Alcoa’s Massena West plant, as well as at the entrance to the Massena Industrial Park. Alcoa recently hired National Response Corps Environmental Services, formerly Op-Tech, to perform work at the facility.

Union officials say NRC Environmental Services has refused calls to put Local 1822 members to work on the Arconic project. The goal is to push NRC Environmental Services to employ local union workers on the Arconic project.

“The Alcoa facility has always been a reliable and trusted source of employment for the hard working men and women of our area. Our guys have been doing the jobs, know the jobs, and have the experience and training that helps keep this plant open," said Richard Daddario, Business Manager for Laborers’ Local 1822.

John Hutchings, Director of the New York state Laborers’ Organizing Fund said hiring local labor is important to the community. “Unfortunately, we have a large construction conglomerate that may be unaware of the importance of these jobs to our community. We remain hopeful that our highly skilled workforce will be employed on this project. We are simply waiting for their call.”

According to its website, NRC is the world’s largest commercial oil response organization and the “global leader in providing end-to-end environmental, industrial and emergency response solutions.”