Carpenters group still protesting Berry

(Protesters wave to passing cars in front of the bowling alley on Riverbend Drive.)

Members of the Southeastern Carpenters Regional Council were protesting with a sign that read “Shame on Dr. Stephen Briggs of Berry College” on Riverbend Drive Thursday afternoon.

The group began their protest over a labor dispute last November, and an official said at the time they had the funds to continue protesting for two years.

Jimmy Gibbs, director of special projects for the group, told RomeNewswire in November that the college is working with a construction company that doesn’t provide health care, fair wages, or retirement benefits. Gibbs says he tried to work with Stephen Briggs, the president of Berry, to reach an agreement concerning The Circle Group, a company currently working at the construction of resident halls on campus.

“We’re here today to bring to the public’s attention an on-going labor dispute,” said Gibbs at the time. “Circle Group doesn’t meet area standards. … If these workers want to take their kid to the doctor, they can’t.”

Gibbs was not immediately available for comment Thursday.

Previously, Berry College released the following statement: “Berry College views this as a dispute between the carpentry union and R.J. Griffin & Co. Several weeks ago, a representative of the carpentry union contacted college officials regarding R.J. Griffin’s use of Circle Group as a subcontractor in the construction of two residence halls on the Berry campus. The college listened attentively to these concerns and shared them with both Carter USA, the project manager, and R.J. Griffin, the general contractor. These companies are responsible for selecting appropriate subcontractors for this project.”