Willow Glen, California Since 1992
News
Workers protest electrical company at construction site of Longs Drugs store ByI-chun Che A dozen union workers from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have been protesting in front of the construction site of the Longs Drugs on Lincoln Avenue. The picketers, who started protesting July 9, are accusing Quanten Electrical Contractor Inc., an independent electrical company working on the Longs construction site, of depriving local union workers of job opportunities by undercutting the wages. The signs they held said "Quantum Electric does not observe wages, fringe benefits and economic working conditions earned in this area by IBEW." "Non-union workers are not welcome in Willow Glen," said Beaman Wisdom, organizer of the IBEW's Local Union No. 332. "They are not welcome in Santa Clara County." Jerry A. Meyers, president of Quanten Electrical Contractor Inc., said he has contacted his lawyer to deal with what he called the "untrue accusation." One Quanten Electrical Contractor Inc. employee, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, said he didn't understand what the picketers are protesting about. "I'd rather work," he said. Meanwhile, Willow Glen residents and business owners have been tolerant of the noise and inconvenience generated by the construction of the Longs Drugs at the intersection of Lincoln and Brace avenues. "It's been quite noisy," said Joan Esans, whose beauty salon, Vanity, faces the construction site. "And the nails on the driveways are annoying. But I can live with that." Willow Glen Business and Professional Association (WGBPA) Second Vice President Linda Waltrip said she can barely hear the noise as long as she closes the door of her clothing shop, Park Place Vintage, which is across from the Longs Drugs site. Despite the supportive comments, some people say that the chain-link fence around the site is ugly. But Waltrip said that she believes its existence is necessary to protect pedestrians from injury. "Construction always makes people uncomfortable," Waltrip said. "But I have no complaints." Residents living near the construction site also say the noise doesn't disturb them. Willow Glen Neighborhood Association Vice President Helen Solinski said she hasn't received any complaints from the neighbors. "Longs Drugs has been extremely sensitive to the residents' needs," said Solinski, who has served as a liaison between the drugstore and neighbors. Jim Hurst, project superintendent of the Longs construction site, said all the construction activities have been limited to the hours between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. every weekday, as the city of San Jose has approved. "You can't build a house without making some noise," Hurst said. "It's like you can't paint a picture without spilling a little paint." Longs Drugs spokeswoman Nancy Cockerham said that the majority of the building's exterior should be completed within the next two weeks. "Activity will then shift to the interior of the building and will create little, if any, noise," Cockerham said. She said the temporary fencing is important to ensure public safety and will be removed as soon as possible. "When the temporary fencing is removed, access will be consistent with all of the shops in the neighborhood," she added. Cockerham said that the construction of Longs Drugs had a slight delay because of a lengthier permit process with the city of San Jose than it had expected and a renegotiation between its general contractor and a subcontractor. But the pharmacy is expected to open in September as scheduled. |
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