Northwest labor press., September 02, 2011, Page 20, Image 20

A mind always employed is always happy. This is the true
secret, the grand recipe, for felicity.
Thomas Jefferson
Union contractor specializes in
structures ruined by smoke, water
In December 2009, vandals threw a
fire bomb through the first floor win-
dow of Service Employees (SEIU) In-
ternational Union Local 49’s union hall
in Southeast Portland, causing major
fire damage to the front lobby and ex-
tensive smoke damage to the building
and severe water damage in the base-
ment.
SEIU called on union contractor
Cooper Construction to oversee the
restoration. In less than six months, the
union headquarters was up and running
again.
“SEIU and Cooper Construction
worked together very well to accom-
modate code-required up-
dates to structure, along with
ADA (Americans With Dis-
abilities Act) requirements,”
said project manager Doug
Lay. “We suggested several
options to assist SEIU in cost
savings for code and worked
with them to make some mi-
nor remodel changes.”
The restoration job em-
ployed many union crafts-
men and women from vari-
ous union subcontractors.
Carpenters framed in new walls and re-
placed all the doors, trim and hardware;
plumbers replaced all the fixtures
throughout the building; electricians re-
placed two panels and rewired over 70
percent of the building; new concrete
front entry stairs and ADA ramp access
and elevator pit were poured; floor cov-
erers laid new carpeting, vinyl and
counter tops on all three floors of the
building; painters painted; and elevator
constructors installed an ADA access
elevator to all three floors.
Cooper Construction is located at
2305 SE 9th Ave, Portland. The phone
number is 503-232-3121.
Wishing all
Union members,
family, and friends
a restful and
hard-earned
Labor Day Weekend
PAGE 20
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
SEPTEMBER 2, 2011