IUPAT CRJ UW SEATTLE Rally

Workers have it tough enough in the U.S. right now; we do not need Canadian employers such as CRJ making it harder by violating the rights of our warriors after they return from the Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans currently have an unemployment rate twice that of other workers and we should all be doing our best to ensure they, above all others, are treated fairly and with respect.

Unfortunately, the owner of CRJ Construction doesn’t feel the same way. While Andrew has profited from United States tax payer funded projects he has chosen to violate the rights of one of our young heroes.

John Beste, former employee of CRJ, gave his youth to protect the rights and ideals held dear to every American. Beste acted selflessly put himself at risk so that the American way of life can continue. This was not done by Beste just for the well being of his friends and family but for everyone in this country including employers such as Andrew Jailet.

Unfortunately the owner of CRJ Construction, Andrew Jailet, doesn’t have the same values as most Americans. While Mr. Jailet, a Canadian, makes his living on tax payer funded jobs taking advantage that the United States has to offer an business owner, he has thumbed his nose at the rights of workers that every one of us holds close to our hearts.

We believe that is time for Andrew Jailet to stop playing games with the lives of American workers and start treating them with respect.

CRJ Construction is a  Puget Sound area contractor that specializes in commercial flooring and painting.  Unfortunately, they also seem to specialize in depriving employees out of their hard earned wages.  CRJ’s has a history of underpaying workers, not only on private projects but also on public projects like two CRJ, s jobs here on the UW campus.  CRJ has been misclassifying its employees, this result in employees receiving a lower pay rate than they are entitled to. CRJ also has a history of not paying its employees for all the hours they work for CRJ. In the construction trade such a practice is known as “wage theft.

Andrew Jaillet recently participated in the Jobs Skills Program funded by the state of Washington. He was awarded a grant from Highline Community College in the amount of $39,900 for safety classes.   During the first week of class Andrew Jaillet received news that his employees wanted union representation, he immediately canceled the class, and sent the workers home. They did not go back to work for two weeks and never did finish the classes!

Andrew Jaillet then began to threaten his employees with demotions, loss of wages, and work opportunities in retaliation for their union support.  He demanded that they not support a union and threatened to fire employees for having discussions about their wages.  Andrew Jaillet then demanded employees not to engage in federally protected activities and to forgo their rights under the National Labor Relations Board. At this time, seven workers who voted for union representation in a federal sanctioned election have been laid off.