The Detroit News, August 30, 2018
By Christine Ferretti
Some Michigan road projects could be halted beginning Tuesday amid plans to lock out unionized road builders by an association representing dozens of contractors following stalled labor negotiations.
The Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association in a Thursday letter to the Operating Engineers Local 324 said it would be instituting the lockout following months of “disruptive, coercive and oftentimes unlawful conduct” by the union, contends Mike Nystrom, MITA’s executive vice president.
Dan McKernan, a spokesman for the engineers, said the union was taken by surprise by the work stoppage plan it regards as an “involuntary layoff.” The engineers contend the move will impact hundreds of unionized road builders and put multiple projects — from bridge repair on Interstate 75 to road reconstruction and maintenance on I-696, to road and bridge reconstruction on I-96 — in flux…
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