Members of the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 3 have been picketing the University of Missouri-St. Louis and distributing flyers to motorists who enter North Campus. “Shame on the University of Missouri-St. Louis” is written in bold and underlined at the top of the union’s flyer.

The union’s primary point of protest is the university’s use of out-of-state labor for repairs being done to an elevator jack in the Mark Twain building. Two full-time employees from Abell Elevator, a construction outfit based in Louisville, Ky., are currently employed on the project.

“UMSL should give work to local laborers who pay taxes to fund the university,” John Orr, a spokesperson for the IUEC Local 3, said. “I have a son at UMSL,” Orr said.

Representatives from UM-St. Louis said that in choosing to do business with Abell, they were not discriminating against local labor, but were simply going with the company that could do what was needed for the cheapest.

Sam Darandari, Director of Planning and Construction for UM-St. Louis, said five outfits put in bids for the project and Abell’s was the lowest at $68,000. It is UM-St. Louis’ policy to go with the lowest bidder; a licensed engineer and a state elevator inspector looked into Abell for the university and gave them the OK.

Orr said that a local union could have done the work just as cheaply and efficiently as Abell, though he admits Abell did put in a lower bid.

Legally, construction on public buildings in Missouri has to be done by local crews, but Missouri has a reciprocal agreement with Kentucky and 29 other states. This allows Missouri crews to work in those states and crews from those states to work in Missouri.

“Local companies are working on Marillac Hall, Music Building and University Center,” Frank Kochin, UM-St. Louis Facilities Director, said. “And those are all bigger contracts, significantly more than replacing a jack.”

According to Orr, the IUEC Local 3 is also concerned that Abell is not paying their employees what is called a prevailing wage. A prevailing wage is essentially a wage that is fair for any given area and is set by the Department of Labor & Industries.

“[Abell] is required to pay a prevailing wage,” Kochin said. “The university system monitors that and [Abell] has to submit certified payrolls.”

The flyer being distributed also claims it is “anyone’s guess” who will handle warranty issues related to Abell’s work. Darandari responded by saying Abell’s work is guaranteed for a year and maintenance will not be an issue.

“These union guys are trying to make a big deal out of what is, in my opinion, nothing,” Darandari said.

Both Darandari and Kochin say that the IUEC Local 3’s real dispute is with Missouri’s reciprocal law, not with UM-St. Louis.

“I have nothing against these local guys,” Darandari said, “but [they] need to be more competitive instead of shaming the university for following a state law.”

According to their flyer, the IUEC Local 3 has a dispute with Abell Elevator only, and is not calling for any kind of boycott with UM-St. Louis or any other institution or organization.