Union members protest WKU construction project
Published 6:00 am Friday, April 11, 2025
Rick Hernandez (left) and other members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
Members of the Local 4 of Indiana and Kentucky chapter of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers gather along University Drive on Thursday, April 10, 2025, to protest Western Kentucky University's hiring of WASCO, a masonry firm from Nashville, Tenn., for the 120,000-square-foot Hilltopper Fieldhouse currently under construction in between Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and Nick Denes Field and WASCO's decline for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS
BY DAVID MAMARIL HOROWITZ
david.horowitz@bgdailynews.com
Members of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO and the regional bricklayers union on Thursday protested how work on Western Kentucky University’s under-construction Hilltopper Fieldhouse and Press Box was being handled.
More than 20 stood along University Drive across from the project to protest WKU’s usage of a masonry firm from Nashville, Tennessee.
Kyle Reinstedler, field representative for Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 4 IN/KY, said the local union reached out to the firm, WASCO, for a conversation on respecting area standard wages and benefit practices, and the firm has so far declined that conversation.
“They’re not receiving what we have established here in Bowling Green,” he said. “Our main goal is to begin relations with them and try to bring them to the table and communicate …
We’re here to protect (…) workers who aren’t getting the benefits. That’s what is our biggest concern – making sure that workers are always protected, and protecting the local area.”
Concerning the latter, he pointed to the closure of Hilltopper Hall last year, the more than $40 million state-of-the-art residence hall that WKU opened in 2018 before facade and masonry issues reportedly closed it down.
“Reeves and Young are managing the Hilltopper Fieldhouse project in their role as Construction Manager. All bid packages were procured following Kentucky model procurement code, reviewed by the university and Construction Manager, and a final contract was issued by Reeves and Young,” a university spokesperson said in a statement.
Dustin Reinstedler, president of Kentucky State AFL-CIO, which represents more than 100,000 union members statewide, described the issue as one where the local collective bargaining agreement hasn’t been respected. He added that the sub-contractors also haven’t used the local union’s apprenticeship program, which is around a mile away.
WASCO did not immediately respond to the Daily News for comment.
