By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — A Township Council resolution that links township construction contracts to labor practices typical of unionized companies has resulted in renewed tension among Township Council members, some of whom received more than $10,000 in campaign contributions from area labor unions last year.
Supported by council members and contribution recipients Charles Morgan and Will Anklowitz, the resolution calls on Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh to issue an executive order that would make it township policy to hand construction contracts for larger projects to companies with apprenticeship programs, established pension plans, and health and insurance plans.
Mr. Anklowitz said Monday that the resolution and executive order would ensure only quality bidders could bid on large-scale West Windsor construction projects. He said that, as a result of the higher quality of the bidders and their workers, the township would save both time and money.
Opponents, including Councilwoman Linda Geevers and former Councilman Franc Gambatese said last week that the resolution and accompanying executive order serve to channel many of the township’s larger contracts to unionized companies.
Unionized companies tend to have attributes like apprenticeship programs, established pension plans, and health and insurance plans, cited in the resolution and accompanying executive order.
”In this case, it appears special interests have given money to candidates in exchange for resolutions that exclude otherwise competent competition, and that costs taxpayers money,” said Ms. Geevers in an interview Monday.
Contacted last week, Mr. Gambatese said that most non-union, but otherwise responsible, construction companies don’t provide apprenticeships and pensions.
”They have 401(k)s, and modern retirement programs,” he said.
But Mr. Anklowitz said he strongly disagreed how the resolution and its supporters were being portrayed by some in West Windsor as some sort of cash-for-contracts arrangement.
”I deny any quid pro quo,” said Mr. Anklowitz, who as a member of the Communications Workers of America 1033, said that unions tend to support other union members. “These allegations are being floated because there aren’t any good reasons to not pass this legislation.”
On the other side of the issue, Mr. Morgan maintained that the resolution amounted to council taking a stand against bad employment practices, by only handing contracts to responsible construction companies.
”You can either support employers who give their employees good compensation, or you don’t,” said Mr. Morgan. “We’re not going to buy something just because it’s cheap, but because it’s the right thing to do.”
Mr. Morgan and Mr. Anklowitz first became targets over the unionization issue after they began pushing for the consideration of the resolutions last year, but the issue resurfaced again last week during discussions of the item when Ms. Geevers accused Mr. Anklowitz of caving in to “special interests.”
Supporting those claims last week was Mr. Gambatese.
He said union members had the same resolutions in hand while offering campaign contributions to his own slate of candidates in the months leading up to his electoral loss to the slate of Mr. Anklowitz, George Borek, and Mr. Morgan in the May 2007 election.
He didn’t fault the unions for pushing the resolutions and handing out the contributions.
”The unions didn’t do anything wrong, this is just what they expect,” said Mr. Gambatese. “They tell you right up front, if you’re willing to support us we’re willing to support you.”
He said that it was well known that Mr. Anklowitz and the rest of the “Best 4 West Windsor” slate received the contributions from the unions — along with the resolutions — after which Mr. Anklowitz began pushing for the resolutions to receive consideration in Township Council.
”If he says he didn’t (get the resolutions from the unions), then he’s a liar, and you can print that,” Mr. Gambatese said.
Mr. Anklowitz denied receiving the resolutions from any union members. He said that his resolutions were based on similar measures that had been considered in Hamilton Township, which he has revised over a period of many months.
Reached by phone last week, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 9 Business Manager Mike Maloney said the effect of the resolution was to ensure that West Windsor would get high-quality construction employees working on township projects.
”You’re getting a journeyperson who completed a five-year apprenticeship,” said Mr. Maloney, whose union donated to “Best 4 West Windsor” candidates last year. “You’re not getting some fly-by-night outfit picking people up from a street corner and putting them to work. You get someone who lives in the area, and pays taxes in the area.”
He noted the contributions to the “Best 4 West Windsor” slate and the labor resolutions were completely legal and then responded harshly to reports of Ms. Geevers’ public accusations.
”How dare she chastise a fellow councilperson over where he gets his campaign funds from,” Mr. Maloney said.
Wayne D’Angelo, president of the Mercer and Burlington County Building Trades and a 14th District assemblyman, said construction companies following Department of Labor wage rules would cost the same, regardless of union status.
The only difference is that unionized companies devote dollars into a fund for pension and health insurance for employees, as opposed to non-union companies.
”It is not an added cost,” he said, of using union labor.
