‘They’re stalking us’

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- Back in 1978, Paul Bissin started a business out of his

truck and in two decades, built the million-dollar company Covi Concrete

Construction Inc. But for the past two years, the man who was once like

any other working stiff has been haunted by angry union protesters

demanding higher wages.

In one of the largest demonstrations the union has ever organized, 500

thumping, sign-toting carpenters circled a Newport Center construction

site Thursday, yelling to Bissin’s workers, “No more scabs!”

The 30 employees working safely inside the chain-link fence kept their

heads down, traded comments in Spanish and continued to work on the

parking structure despite the taunts.

“It’s like they’re stalking us!” said site superintendent Bob Foster.

“Would you like someone trailing you?”

His comments echoed past comments from Bissin, who last year found his

plush South Orange County home surrounded by demonstrators. The

Huntington Beach-based company did $20-million worth of business last

year and has been responsible for such Newport projects as Fletcher Jones

Motor Cars and the Colony parking lot at Fashion Island.

Residents of the Nellie Gail Ranch neighborhood became so agitated that

they went to court to try to stop the union demonstrators. The union was

eventually ordered by an Orange County Superior Court judge to stay clear

of Bissel’s house, but was allowed to picket at the entrance of his

community.

Still, union workers wouldn’t be silenced in their efforts to protect

their wages, which are about $26 an hour.

Union representatives at the $2.1-million Newport Center site said

construction companies like Bissin’s keep wages down in order to stay

competitive.

“Everybody deserves to be paid what they’re worth,” said union spokesman

Steve Graves. “They’re not getting paid benefits or medical care.”

Another union member, Paul Weaver, said it’s often immigrants who become

the target of construction companies that want to keep their costs down

in order to stay at the top of an increasingly competitive industry.

Many, he said, come from places where $5 a day is a fortune, making the

lower-than-union wages very tempting.

Roberto Garcia is one such immigrant, but says he’s being treated very

well by Covi. Garcia arrived three months ago from Mexico.

“Because boss is a good person, I don’t need to go to union,” he said.

In a soft Spanish accent that contrasted with his trunk-like physique,

Garcia said he receives $8 an hour and sends a portion of his income to

family at home in Mexico.

Bissin attorney Phillip Greer, however, said Garcia’s income is the

minimum and most Covi workers are paid more than union workers. Greer

thinks the union is protesting because it wants more money from dues.

“[Covi workers] don’t want to work for unions because they can’t get real

work and the conditions are terrible,” he said.

Instead of giving money to the union, Greer said Covi prefers the money

to go straight to its workers.

However, while the savings may go to wages, Covi does not provide health

insurance for its construction workers. Greer said most of the workers

are very experienced and because of their weekly safety meetings, do not

need medical insurance.

Foster, a former union member, spoke angrily about the Carpenters Union

that he says caused him to nearly lose everything. As a newly married

father, Foster was threatened with eviction because the union didn’t

provide him with enough work. He said that since he left the union in

1981, he hasn’t had trouble finding jobs.

“If I’m not working, I can’t feed my family,” Foster said. “There is a

lot of work out there. If you’re good, you’re working.”

Still, many of the protesting union members would disagree.

Despite last year’s legal decision about demonstrating in front of

Bissel’s home, union representatives continue to protest outside the

community where home prices average $3 million.

“There’s still usually three [protesters] there every day,” said Greer.

“It’s terrorism. They harass and intimidate the family and neighborhood.”