Union Targets Myrtletown Lumber

Continued from front page

I pulled over and grabbed my clipboard and camera, then approached the four men. I asked them what they were picketing for, and three of the guys immediately pointed to this man, who was on the phone. When he finished his phone call, I asked him "Hi, what's going on here?" His response was, in a very aggressive tone, "Well I'm going to need you to identify yourself and the outfit who sent you here because you look like press."

"Well, I write for a local blog called Myrtletown.net, and your sign says Myrtletown on it, so I'm interested in what you're picketing for," I explained. He then told me that he had been instructed to forward all press inquiries to a man named Jay, and he provided me with a phone number to call.

Searching the web yielded little info. All I could find is that the Carpenters and Joiners of America Unioin Local #751 was a major supporter of Measure T (remember that union-fueled power-grab?), and that they are, indeed, a local chapter for their union. But no mention of any beef between Local #751 and Myrtletown Lumber.

I tried calling Jay at the number the rude man had given me, but he was unavailable for comment. A second call was later made, and this time I asked for anyone who could give me some information on those picketers, but finally the secretary decided that Jay is the only person who can give me any information about that, and well he's not in right now so would I like his voice mail?

So, the union wasn't available for comment. Darren at Myrtletown Lumber & Supply, however, was available for comment when I called asking questions about the picketers. He explained that Myrtletown Lumber and Supply has a team of about ten insulation installers who are very good at what they do, and who are well-compensated for the work they perform. Carpenters Local #751 really, really wants those Myrtletown Lumber workers to join the union, even though they already "make much more money" working for Myrtletown Lumber than they would with the union, according to Darren. He also added that his insulation team regularly gets county and city contracts here in the Eureka area, and that those jobs always pay prevailing wages, which leaves little reason for his workers to join the local union chapter.

This isn't the first time a local union chapter has launched an underhanded attack against a Humboldt County business. "We've been through this for ten-plus years, and they just won't stop," said Dan Cruz of Cruz Plumbing in Eureka when I reached him by phone this afternoon. The Plumbers & Fitters Local 471 maintained a picket line in front of Cruz's office for more than five years trying to get him to join their union. "I won't join, because of the way they've treated me in the past," he explained. "They're pretty pushy, and I don't want to be a part of that. They're crooked."

Multiple sources claim that picketers like the men out near Costco on Wabash Avenue today are actually paid "under the table" for their picketing efforts by the union identified on the picket signs, even though they will claim to be volunteers. If true, that would definitely begin to explain why many local business owners don't have anything nice to say about the unions who relentlessly attack them. "They twist the rules as much as they can," Cruz said.

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Wow, this article actually got some attention today. There were a couple of lively discussions on various blogs regarding this story, so I wanted to let everyone know that it is very, very simple to leave comments directly on this article right here on Myrtletown.net.

Just click the "Reply" button. If you have never logged in before, all you need to do is provide a name and email address and you can then immediately reply to any article on the site. It's really very simple, no complex registration required.

Sure, it's not totally anonymous, but hey, I didn't say you had to put your real name and email in. What do I care? We're just trying to provide a forum for public discussions.

Thanks for reading!

--darsh of myrtletown

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I tried to comment here a week or so ago but ran into some difficulty. Don't remember what the problem was but I assumed you only let certain people comment. Seems to work now though.

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Who owns Myrtletown Lumber?
Where are all the comments?
I just found your Blog today so I will check it out more often.

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Shirley,

Good questions! I am not sure if Darren (the man I spoke with at Myrtletown Lumber) was the owner, manager, or something else. I was transfered to 4 other "managers" before reaching Darren, so I assume he is a decision-maker of some sort down there. As for the comments here, I think we just haven't been widely recognized yet. Also, you can't just come in here and post a bunch of anonymous hate comments (not as easily as on blogspot, anyway), so I think that keeps the trolls out for the most part.

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well one reason may be because myrtletown lumber and its business, dont treat there emplyess just. you can talk to any number of employees that they have f***ed in the ass. they are good to work for until they see you as a threat like when you legally have to sign for workmans comp. instead of dealing with it they would rather fire you under defamation of character. darren is a whole dif. story at that, and is the main man to talk to at myrtle town but at the same time is a very shrude man. who in the past has unfairly treated and fired many employees, if you look at the reasons, its always some sort of employee error when really its a personal business, that should be kept seperate from the business world, if your black, or they personaly dont like you, it doesnt matter how good of a worker you are they will wait for the right time to make you look bad and termanate you. otherwise you go nowere in the career world, its very unprofessional. i had to put in my two weeks notice to visit family out of state, for the reason that i was unable to take it off(not knowing its my legal right to emergency family leave)i explained i was taken my last check after the two weeks and leaving on good terms needing this money to pay my way out of state, instead i come in the next day, they tell me that its going down as a voluntary quit not a fire, and that they no longer need me. in so many words f***ing me. i was unable to serv my two weeks and was unable to pay my rent.

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I think, but am not 100% sure, that Neal and Brendon McKenny own Myrtletown Lumber. This used to be Hauger Lumber at one time? Sounds very familiar. I know they owned it at some point.

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I have to say that this all just media bull$&%$, I worked for them for over two years while I was in school and they did nothing but respect me and take care of me financially. My whole crew at Arcata Lumber seemed to be doing fine, and the McKenny's are great guys and they know hard work because the're dad was the type of guy who showed them hard work at a young age and those boys could have raised themselves after age 13. Darren and the company are under control, and they are doing fine without unions.

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