On a cold, crisp January 16, 2009 morning, Teamsters from Locals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area converged on GraniteRock’s Contractor EXPO at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Seaside, California. The crystal blue sky and the deep blue waters of the Pacific Ocean paled in comparison to the intimidating wave of Teamsterblue jackets greeting unsuspecting contractors as they arrived at the event.

The annual EXPO, where contractors attend presentations and seminars about new building materials and construction/ business techniques, provided Local 853 an opportunity to educate those contractors about our ongoing conflict with GraniteRock. The Teamster action in Seaside took place under a direct threat from Granite- Rock’s lawyers who, in a letter to Teamster Locals, warned of arrests if union members tried to rent a room at the Embassy Suites or if there was any picketing at the EXPO. Teamsters did both. There were no arrests.

The presence of officials, business agents, stewards and rank-and-filers from Locals 85, 315, 350, 490, 624, 665, 890, and 912, along with representatives from the IBEW and the Operating Engineers, illustrated to contractors attending GraniteRock’s EXPO that, not only does Local 853 intend to continue the fight for fair wages, benefits and working conditions, but that the solidarity of all Bay Area labor is with us.

“GraniteRock, and its owner Bruce Woolpert, are attempting to gain a competitive advantage over the other leg i t i m a t e ready mix companies who are signatory to our contracts,” said Local 853 Secretary-Treasurer Rome Aloise. We want those who do business with GraniteRock to know that we are not going away, and that they should support companies that pay decent wages and benefits to their workers. We want Woolpert to know that his plan won’t work.”

Union members report that Woolpert cowered inside the hotel and failed to show his face to the hundreds of pickets. Sources say that 30% less contractors attended the EXPO than in previous years. “No one likes doing business with a bully. Finally, people see Woolpert for what he is and are fed up with him,” said Aloise.