Georgia Concrete Contractor Recognizes Value of BAC Membership

Griffen Specialty Contracting Inc., a Georgia-based concrete contractor, signed a collective bargaining agreement with Local 33 Georgia/North Carolina/South Carolina in April. “I’ve always paid my employees a decent wage. The main reason I signed with Local 33 was to give my employees the pension and health benefits they deserve,” says company principal Greg Griffen.

A former member of BAC before going into business for himself, Griffen had become troubled by the transient nature of the workforce. “In Savannah, and in other cities, it seems the construction business is becoming more reliant on the day labor system,” says Griffen. “Workers scramble each day to get what they can for that day. I want my employees to think long-term. They need to be concerned about their futures. The Union helps workers think this way by providing benefits for today and tomorrow.”

The involvement of members of Local 33’s Augusta Chapter contributed to Griffen’s decision to sign with BAC. “Thanks to the commitment of members like Marvin Davis and the work of Local 33 President Ernie Grubbs and Region 4 Director David Williams, we’ve signed a key contractor,” says Local 33 Field Representative and Organizer Ken Raider. “We also relied on the hard work of James Stringer, one of our cement masons who serves as the Chapter’s Chairman, part-time Field Representative, Apprentice Instructor, and DOE Savannah River Site job steward. With his help, Local 33 started a cement masonry apprenticeship program.”

Griffen employs an average of 15 masons and focuses on large commercial work across the Southeast. The firm recently completed major work in Georgia’s Low Country, including two parking decks at Savannah International Airport and extensive flatwork at the city’s new $83 million International Trade and Convention Center on Hutchinson Island. Now working at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, Griffen is using its new status as a BAC signatory contractor to compete for, and win, federal contracts.

“This is a company committed to getting more, bigger, and better work and we’re proud to have them on board,” says Raider. “Griffen is a forward-thinking company. They keep abreast of new technologies like the laser-screed and invest heavily in new equipment. They also invest in their workforce.”

This is just the beginning for Local 33. The members’ skill and commitment, and the benefits offered through the International Union and the International Pension and Health Funds, position Local 33 to attract more contractors like Griffen.