Rich Volpe (in blue hat) of IBEW Local 440, which is picketing the Metropolitan building site on Wallace Street, talks Tuesday morning with construction manager Scott Thomas about where the picketers are permitted to walk. The question arose because the sidewalk is enclosed by construction fencing.
Local 400 doesn’t have a contract on the Metropolitan, a 37-unit residential complex now rising on the former site of Dorn’s Photography. Union Business Agent Jim Gervolino tells redbankgreen that the picketing was prompted by the failure of the electrical contractor on the job, A.G. Electric, to pay area-standard wages. (Aldo Gallelli, owner of the Metuchen-based firm, was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.)
[PLEASE SEE ‘POSTSCRIPT,’ BELOW]
The worksite was the subject of a number of phone calls to police early Sunday because of noisy pile-driving. Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels says that work was conducted without proper permission from the town, though no citations were issued.
Postscript, February 7, 2007:
The following is the text of a letter received by redbankgreen on Feb. 7, 2007 by email from Eric C. Stuart of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stuart PC of Morristown:
“This firm is counsel to A.G. Electrical Contractors Inc. and its President Aldo Gallelli. I write to bring to your attention certain inaccurate information contained in the January 9, 2007 edition of Redbankgreen. At this time we are simply requesting that Redbankgreen issue a correction to prevent damage to our clients’ business and reputation.
The article entitled “Pickets Negotiate a Fence” stated that labor picketing of a 37 unit residential construction project “was prompted by the failure of the electrical contractor on the job, A.G. Electric, to pay area-standard wages”. It was also reported that the work was “conducted without proper permission from the town” and that Mr. Gallelli is the President of this Company. The article was brought to our clients’ attention by a potential customer. As a small local family business in Metuchen, Mr. Gallelli is very concerned that both he and his Company are being portrayed in a false light.
The reason for our clients’ concern is that A.G. Electrical Contractors, Inc. and Mr. Gallelli have no connection whatsoever with this construction project, never bid on this project, never performed work on this project and were not even aware of its existence. I understand there may be an entity called A.G. Electric, but Mr. Gallelli is not involved in that Company in any manner. In any event, because I understand you take pride in and emphasize “shoe leather reporting” kindly take a moment to publish a correction in your next edition.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Very truly yours,
(signed) Eric C. Smith
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stuart, PC
