Batavia High School renovation work back on

Areas undergoing renovation at Batavia High School should be ready in time for sports practices and the start of school, now that a construction workers' strike is over.

"It looks like we can meet expectations for athletics on Aug. 11 and school on Aug. 25," Superintendent Jack Barshinger said Wednesday afternoon.

Work on the expansion and renovation of the school came to a halt last week as members of the Laborers District Council of Chicago started picketing both the primary and neutral gates to the site. They were picketing against Lamp Inc., the general contractor, and L.J. Morse Construction Co., as part of a strike against many Chicago-area contractors. Lamp and L.J. Morse employees and suppliers were only supposed to use the primary gate off Main Street, while workers from subcontractors with which the union had no disagreement could use the neutral gate off Wilson Street. The Laborers contended, however, that Lamp and L.J. Morse people used the neutral gate, contaminating it, and that under federal labor law they could then picket there.

The other unionized tradespeople then refused to cross the picket line.

But after a tentative labor agreement was reached Monday night, the pickets were removed, and about 65 percent of the workers showed up for work Tuesday, and nearly all did Wednesday, Barshinger said.

The subcontractors' contracts with the district require them to finish the work on time to open the building for the practices and school days. They likely will run double shifts five or more days a week, Barshinger said, to make up for lost time. Any extra labor costs will be borne by the subcontractors.

"That's not our expense," Barshinger said.

The areas the district was concerned about were the main gymnasium, four locker rooms, the food education laboratories, and special education classrooms.

Work will continue for another year or more on construction of a field house and an auditorium.

The project is in the start of its third year.