WYOMING, Penn.-A spokesperson for the union workers who picketed the construction of a new branch of UFCW FCU here says that the non-union-built building is done, and those workers are done with the credit union.
Bob Griffiths and other members of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades picketed the construction site on and off for about four weeks, finally calling it a day when the new branch opened. The picketers gained some publicity when they inflated a giant rat next to the structure.
Griffiths told Credit Union Journal recently that he and about 265 other union members are in the process of pulling their accounts from the $103-million credit union and plan to take their business to Wells Fargo, which hired all union contractors when Wachovia branches were refitted to Wells Fargo a few years ago.
"This isn't about hard feelings, this is business," said Griffiths. "Wells Fargo is giving us the business, so we're going to give them the business."
Griffiths said that neither UFCW CEO John Hayduk nor any other representative from the credit union attempted to contact them during the picketing.
"We've done business with them forever," said Griffiths. "It's upsetting, so we're going to go someplace where we feel that we're wanted. ... How do they expect us to do business with them when they won't do business with us?"
Credit Union Journal attempted to reach Hayduk multiple times for comment but was unsuccessful.
