Union members protest over renovation of Sears site at Merced Mall. What’s the issue?

A Fresno-based construction company hired for ongoing renovations of the former Sears building in Merced is under federal investigation for alleged labor violations.

Members of the Nor Cal Carpenters Union demonstrated last week near the active construction site on West Olive Avenue to direct attention to a complaint filed against Paden & Bletscher Construction, contracted to build the Sears Revitalization Project.

“We’re not looking to shut down anybody. We’re not looking for the company to stop working. We’re not looking for anybody to stop business whatsoever,” said Dean Marshall, a carpentry apprentice with Carpenters Local 152. “We just want to make sure everybody’s getting paid what they should be getting paid, and in a timely manner as well.”

The Merced Sun-Star made multiple attempts to reach out to Paden & Bletscher Construction, but no one from the company responded.

Patrick Charriou, founder of Sage Investco, which is the new owner of the former Sears property, said he was not aware that Paden & Bletscher was under investigation by the national labor board. “I will inquire further,” Charriou said. The real estate company hired Paden & Bletscher to renovate the approximately 90,000 square feet building.

During the demonstration, Marshall and another union member stood next to two full-sized banners that displayed the National Labor Relations Board insignia and which announced the federal investigation into the labor practices of Paden & Bletscher.

The union alleges that Paden & Bletscher employers violated labor law by interfering with the National Labor Relations Act that guarantees employees the right to self-organize, bargain collectively, and support labor unions (as well as the right to refrain from participating in such activities).

The NLRB is investigating Paden & Bletscher Construction for charges involving “coercive actions,” according to a complaint posted on the NLRB’s website.

The charges were filed last fall by Carpenters Local 152, a labor union based in Manteca and Martinez, and the case remains open. The Nor Cal Carpenters Union represents 22 unions, including Carpenters Local 152, and more than 36,000 members, according to its website.

This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 12:09 PM.