Construction sites in Seattle, WA, and surrounding areas have shut down and thousands of construction workers laid off because of the cement worker’s strike, now in its third month.
Projects like Sound Transit, Microsoft Redmond campus modernization, work on the convention center, all manner of skyscrapers going up downtown, are seeing nothing happening right now.
William Baker, a concrete mixer driver, said he’s facing hard times just like everyone else. “You can’t build the next floor without the first floor being built with concrete,” he said.
Joshua Viramontes, a concrete mixer driver who’s been in the industry for six years, said it’s all about teamwork.
“One hand washes the other, so if one trade is out for a certain amount of time, it stops everything,” Viramontes said.
As the strike continues, it’s impacting all construction trades, cement masons, ironworkers, laborers, carpenters and as the schedule gets pushed further behind electricians, plumbers and roofers will all be hit hard too.
450 construction trade employees were laid off Friday morning, not including another 5,000 to 6,000 trade workers who are currently not working because of the strike. That number could easily reach another 8,000 in the next month or so.
Ahora Construction Owner, Jimmy Matta, stopped by one of the demonstrations to show his support despite being hit hard too.
“They’re worth what they’re asking for,” Matta said.
He’s laid off several of his own employees, shrinking his team from 88 to just two trade workers.
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Gary Fleisher is Editor in Chief of Modular Home Source and the Offsite Builder. Email at [email protected]
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