|
Orange County, NY - One day after an announced compromise between environmental leaders and the state on the proposed Drury Lane access road at Stewart Airport, Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today announced that he is urging Governor George Pataki to ensure that the project's contractor works closely with the area's top labor group to avoid any further delays to the project. Lancaster Development, Inc. has not reached an agreement with the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council to ensure that the local labor coalition, which represents many area workers, has a significant role in the project.
"As you can imagine, since no agreement or commitment is currently in place with the low bidding contractor on this project to ensure that our local unions have a substantial role in this very significant project, their support for the project understandably may change, possibly leading to additional legal challenges and substantial delays," Hinchey wrote in a letter to Pataki that was sent yesterday afternoon. "I respectfully urge you to take every action to ensure that Lancaster Development, Inc. works closely with the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council to ensure that this important project proceeds in a timely and successful manner with the continued strong support of our local communities and residents."
The Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council consistently supported the Drury Lane plan and was instrumental in ensuring that the project moved forward. New York State reportedly committed to sign a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with the local labor community for the Drury Lane job more than five years ago, which would have safeguarded local workers' rights during the project. However, as the result of an Executive Order that President Bush issued in February 2001 barring PLA's with local labor groups on federally-funded construction projects, New York State was precluded from negotiating and signing a PLA on the Drury Lane project, which involves federal funds. That Executive Order, however, does not prevent a project contractor such as Lancaster Development from voluntarily entering into labor agreements to ensure that a project can be completed in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
"I hope that you share my view that it would be unfortunate and regrettable for unresolved labor issues to present new roadblocks to the progress of this project, particularly now that the environmental legal issues appear to have been settled," Hinchey wrote to Pataki.
Hinchey, who supports the recently announced compromise, played an active role in earlier Drury Lane negotiations, meeting numerous times with proponents and opponents of the project to help facilitate a dialogue between the two sides. The congressman also sent Pataki a letter in June 2004 in which he asked that the governor's administration directly intercede in the Drury Lane matter to facilitate a compromise involving protection of open space west of the proposed roadway. Hinchey also sent a letter to Lancaster Development earlier this month in which he urged the company to enter into an agreement with the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council.
###
The full text of Hinchey's letter to Pataki follows:
November 21, 2005
Honorable George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Pataki:
I am writing to recognize the apparent completion of efforts to negotiate a compromise on the Drury Lane-Stewart Access Road project settling legal issues over environmental and other concerns. I believe that the recent compromise is necessary to ensure that this important project proceeds without continued delays, and I believe that the addition of a significant amount of open space to the Stewart State Forest will protect an increasingly important environmental and recreational resource for current and future residents of Orange County.
As you may recall, I wrote to you in June 2004 asking that your administration directly intercede in the Drury Lane matter to facilitate a similar type of compromise involving the lands west of Drury Lane so that this project would not be unnecessarily further delayed. I am very pleased to see that this compromise has now been signed. I am writing this follow-up letter to express to you my serious concern that outstanding labor issues on the project may now present additional stumbling blocks that could hamper this project.
As you are well aware, the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents a great many of our local construction workers, has consistently supported this project and was instrumental in ensuring that this project moved forward. It is my understanding that your administration committed to sign a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with our local labor community for this job more than five years ago. Unfortunately, New York State was precluded from negotiating and signing a PLA on a federally-funded construction project by an Executive Order issued by the White House in February 2001. This Executive Order, however, does not prevent a project contractor from voluntarily entering into labor agreements to ensure that a project can be completed in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
As you can imagine, since no agreement or commitment is currently in place with the low bidding contractor on this project to ensure that our local unions have a substantial role in this very significant project, their support for the project understandably may change, possibly leading to additional legal challenges and substantial delays. I hope that you share my view that it would be unfortunate and regrettable for unresolved labor issues to present new roadblocks to the progress of this project, particularly now that the environmental legal issues appear to have been settled.
I respectfully urge you to take every action to ensure that Lancaster Development, Inc. works closely with the Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council to ensure that this important project can now proceed in a timely and successful manner with the continued strong support of our local communities and residents. Please do not hesitate to contact me at my Middletown District Office if I can be of any assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Maurice D. Hinchey
|
