! ! STRIKE ! !
Photo by Jeremy Lyverse/Review-Journal.
Photo by Leila Navidi/Las Vegas Sun
Sun blog
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jun...-site-protest/
TV 8 story
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/story.asp?s=8415340
Aaron Drawhorn, Reporter
Workers Strike at Project CityCenter
Updated: June 3, 2008 07:19 AM
The majority of union workers on MGM Mirage Inc.'s multibillion dollar CityCenter project struck late Monday after talks broke down between the Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council, casino giant MGM Mirage and project general contractor Perini Building Co.
Since construction on CityCenter began, six men have died. The latest, 39-year-old Dustin Tarter, a crane worker, was killed Saturday. He is the latest victim who perished on the grounds.
"This is the sixth death since the start of the construction of the CityCenter project and this is unacceptable," said Steve Ross with the Southern Nevada Building & Construction Trades Council.
The council is throwing down the gauntlet. It has made suggestions to Perini Building Company and MGM-Mirage on ways to improve safety concerns at the job site.
Now they're demanding an immediate work site safety assessment, an on-site OSHA training course, both administered by the Center for Construction Research and Training, and full job site access to be granted to union officials and safety directors.
"Immediately is the time we're allowing Perini and MGM-Mirage to work with us in regards to these requests, meaning today," said Ross.
Now the 6,000 workers at CityCenter will walk once the clock strikes midnight.
"We have the most dangerous work on the site -- no ifs, ands or buts. Something needs to be done," said an ironworker who didn't want his name given.
He's prepared to strike to save lives, "We're all behind this. Whatever has to be done to stop the men dying continuously. One man per month is what we have going right now. That's not okay."
Steve Redlinger, a spokesperson for the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council and its affiliated unions, said a compromise on those three demands is not expected to be met by the deadline. Negotiations with Perini Building Company and MGM-Mirage are expecting to resume Tuesday morning.