King County leaders want to develop publicly-owned concrete facility amid months-long strike
Executive Dow Constantine spoke before the King County Council Tuesday to discuss the next steps in dealing with what has become a debilitating standoff between local concrete workers and construction companies.
Constantine introduced legislation to study the possibility of the county and other local entities like Sound Transit and the Port of Seattle developing their own concrete manufacturing facilities.
The council voted 9-0 to study the idea.
Concrete workers have been on strike since Nov. 19, protesting what they say are unfair labor practices by the construction companies.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/king-county-leaders-want-to-develop-publicly-owned-concrete-facility-amid-months-long-strike/ar-AAVnzMp
With construction delayed over Teamsters’ strike, King County wants to supply its own concrete
King County’s frustration with the region’s concrete suppliers and Teamsters involved in an ongoing, four-month-long strike has boiled over. County Executive Dow Constantine has called for King County and local partners to develop “their own concrete manufacturing facilities to ensure the future of critical infrastructure construction in our region.”
Sound Transit, the Port of Seattle, the University of Washington, the City of Seattle have already set in motion what will culminate in the county’s direct attempt to provide its own supply of concrete for construction projects across the region.
In February, city and county leaders began sounding the alarm that high-profile projects such as the West Seattle Bridge would be significantly delayed were the strike to continue. The county offered up a direct purchase agreement with suppliers to try to resume supply.
“Repair of the West Seattle Bridge remains one of the city’s highest priorities,” writes Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “While the Seattle Department of Transportation, contractors, and community partners have worked tirelessly to keep the West Seattle Bridge reopening on track for mid-2022, this continued strike threatens to delay that schedule, as well as impact many other major City of Seattle projects. For an on-time opening, concrete companies and workers must return to mediation and reach a fair agreement – further delay and uncertainty is untenable for hundreds of thousands of neighbors across West Seattle, our city, and the entire region.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/with-construction-delayed-over-teamsters-strike-king-county-wants-to-supply-its-own-concrete/ar-AAVoiE3