Plumbers Protest Scotch Plains CVS

A north Jersey plumbers union protested outside the CVS pharmacy in Scotch Plains on Monday afternoon, urging local residents to boycott the chain for failing to employ labor unions in its construction projects.

On the Park Avenue side of the store, three members of Plumbers Local 24, of Lodi, quietly held aloft a red-and-white banner that highlighted fines and lawsuit settlements allegedly paid by CVS. In work jeans and t-shirts, they waved to motorists who honked, and greeted and handed pamphlets to the pedestrians who walked past.

"[CVS is] not having union labor build their buildings," said Bobby Quinn, 55, of Rahway, one of the demonstrators. "They didn't give us an attempt to see or bid on the job." 

The demonstration was part of a statewide boycott coordinated by the AFL-CIO. It was organized by Tom Genuario, of Plumbers Local 24. 

"We have decided to take this step only after countless attempts to open a dialogue with CVS, regarding their refusal to use Union Labor [sic] on their construction projects," Genuario said in an April 17 statement published on the Bergen County AFL-CIO website.

On Monday, Genuario elaborated further. "They don't tell us about the projects," he said. "We only find out the next day." 

Mike DeAngelis, CVS's director of public relations, however, offered a different account: "We use union labor all the time," he said in a telephone interview Monday evening. "They have bid on store projects, they have competed in our bid process. We will consider any open and reasonable bid." 

DeAngelis declined to name any particular CVS construction project that used union labor. But he did state that CVS sat down to negotiate with union leaders in May – a statement corroborated by Genuario – and that CVS "completed a review of its bid process." 

At the protest Monday afternoon, Genuario said more demonstrations will likely occur this week outside CVS pharmacies in Watchung and Springfield.