Cement Masons Seal Big Concrete Deal At New Coast Guard HQ

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Local 891 is “One of the first labor unions" to land a contract on the St Elizabeth's project in Southeast DC, reports  Business Manager Keith Hickman. The union recently locked down a federal contract to work on the new Coast Guard headquarters at the former site of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The several-year contract is not only one of the biggest in the local’s history, but “is about the people of DC,” says Hickman, noting that the million-square-foot project will provide work for area residents during the prolonged economic downturn. “This is great news for workers and it's a big deal,” adds Hickman. – report by Boaz Young-El, AFL-CIO Union Summer Intern; photo courtesy OPCMIA website