93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Ashland-area residents noticed a large inflatable rat on Wednesday near Southern Boone R-1’s football field construction site.
Two members of Operating Engineers Local 513 sat near the inflatable rat with an informational picket sign.
One of the union members spoke to 939 the Eagle at the site, saying their sign represents their message. The sign says Lee’s Summit-based Mid-America Sports Construction is paying wages to construction workers below rates established in mid-Missouri. The sign notes the picket is designed to raise awareness and that other union workers are not being requesting to stop working on the project.
The workers at Southern Boone R-1 are installing artificial turf at the football field and are also rebuilding and resurfacing the track, which was more than 20 years old. Southern Boone R-1 patrons approved a $3-million bond issue for the project in April 2022.
Operating Engineers Local 513 in St. Louis represents about 4,200 skilled trade members.
