By Jake Wieseneck ’14, News Editor 

Last month, Newark Academy faced its first major obstacle on the road to completing the Campus Master Plan: IronWorkers Local 11. The presence of large inflatable rats and protestors on campus during the morning rush of November 21, 2011, was only one part of the conflict that arose between Newark Academy and the Union. This disagreement ventured beyond the Academy’s Livingston campus into the everyday lives of trustees and school employees. The Minuteman sat down with Mr. Donald Austin, Head of School, to discuss the catalyst of Union’s actions and the protest’s effect on the Newark Academy community.

When beginning the construction on the new 18,000 square foot Academic Center, the Newark Academy Board of Trustees was faced with the challenge of finding the right general contractor for the job. The Board’s Steering Committee, the driving force behind the execution of the Master Plan, selected “Joseph Natoli and Sons” as the general contractor for the task. Although Natoli was open to both union and non-union workers for its projects, the Academy did not articulate a preference for union or non-union workers. The Steering Committee did, however, have specifications regarding other aspects of the project. “We were very specific,” said Mr. Wayne Kent ’85, Chairman of the Steering Committee, “the project was to be bid in the most ‘economical’ way possible with or without union labor.” From the outset, the school set forth its priority in trying to get the most value for each dollar spent.

At a joyous Groundbreaking Ceremony on September 22, 2011 the Newark Academy community celebrated NA’s innovation and plans to begin the project. In early November, however, the Iron Workers Union received information that the Academy’s contractor was going to use a non-union shop for the process of steel erection for the new Academic Center. The Union took immediate and swift action. That night, the Austin Family, in addition to many board members, received signs on or around their property stating the Union’s dissatisfaction with the Academy’s choice to use non-union workers for the project. Over the next few days the Austin family received two anonymous letters from Pennsylvania that addressed the Union’s concern with the contractor’s choice. The Iron Workers Union continued to express their discontent by calling the Austin Family and other members of the Board of Trustees at all hours of the day.

All of these actions were taken in the weeks leading up to the non-union workers arriving on the Newark Academy Campus.  Notably, unions are not legally allowed to protest at a construction site until non-union workers begin their work. Therefore, the Union took every legally permissible action before its time to protest came. “There was a lot of stuff done that I would not consider fair,” said Mr. Austin, in response to the Union’s forms of protest. The Iron Workers Union took the Academy’s choice as a personal decision by members of the Board of Trustees and not as a decision made by the school. Mr. Austin stated, “I don’t have anything against unions. Quite to the contrary, unions built this country.” He indicated that “The iron workers are known as particularly intransigent.” Furthermore, Mr. Austin contrasted their behavior with that of the Carpenter’s Union. He noted that the Carpenter’s Union seems to understand the needs of clients in this difficult economic time and hence are willing to find ways to save costs for customers.

In response to IronWorkers Local 11 presence on the border of the property, Mr. Austin explained how the protest could impact day to day activities. By way of an email to the community –  and a speech to the student body –  Mr. Austin described the dispute and explained what actions the protesters were legally allowed to take. Additionally, the Academy took this opportunity to educate students about the legal rights of unions. Mr. Benson Hawk, former Humanities Department Head and trained lawyer, made a morning meeting presentation detailing the history of labor unions in the United States. Weeks later, IronWorkers Local 11 arrived at Newark Academy.

On November 21st, after parking their cars in the Newark Academy faculty and visitor lot, the union protestors began to assemble and blow up their inflatable rat at 7:15 am. The union workers were present in full force by the time parents and faculty entered the driveway off of South Orange Avenue. “That first day…things were a little bit dicey” remarked Mr. Austin. From their position beyond the Field Hockey field, the union workers protested by way of pamphleteering, rather than setting up a picket line, as was anticipated. Some men arrived in rat costumes and engaged with parent and student drivers by knocking on their windshields and windows. Mr. Austin mentioned that in response, “We went out and [filmed] them as a deterrent for [future] bad behavior.” The following day, November 22nd and the next Monday, November 28th, the union protestors took up that same spot on campus but did not make their presence known as much as on that first day. Eventually, the protests dissipated and construction remained uninterrupted.

Since those November days, progress on the Upper School Academic Center has continued right on schedule. The Natoli workers have built the steel framework, providing a conspicuous display of construction progress. Newark Academy has surmounted its most public obstacle on the road to completing this first phase of the Master Plan. It is now cruising freely towards completion by next fall.