Bruce Conroy for Wallingford

Yesterday I attended the rally by the Carpenters Local 326 at Meriden City Hall about the death of one of my brother carpenters while working on a non-union job for AR Builders on Bee Street in Meriden. After the rally, I addressed the Council and expressed my frustration that 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝟱𝟬 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. My point is simple, we told them that when a contractor breaks rules about wages he is most likely breaking buidling and safety codes as well. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱, leaving behind a wife and children. This young man went to work to feed his family and while standing on top of a wall setting roof trusses with his brother on the opposite wall, the machine that was not rated to lift and extend the trusses, tipped forward, the truss hit Elvin Monson Guzman and knocked him from the wall to his death. Now his wife and 3 children are without him, and his brother will forever hold the memory of that day. We asked the State Legislature to make General Contractors responsible for the companies they hire and for two years we have been denied because our legislators are afraid to make regulations that hold General Contractors responsible for the companies that they hire. Meriden officials, both municipal and state should come forward and do more than tell us that the Guzman family is in their thoughts and prayers, they should take steps to make sure that the people that work in our towns, that literally build Connecticut, don't have to worry if they wont make it home in the same condition as when the left to goto work. We have helped alot of legislators win seats in this state, but from now on, we want something back, we want accountability. Accountability from contractors and from our elected officials that are supposed to be there to serve the people. North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
https://www.wfsb.com/2025/07/22/union-members-call-safety-after-worker-killed-meriden-construction-site/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLsXChleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0UG1zQ2M5YjFNTFFzVEFLAR5CwbMRnUn2UUns_d0RBNOKroRD6payih8BELWtWGWd8D2WZ7cTY8JhNV0J0A_aem_1TifuiF5oVpTwOSRQoSXwA0

Union members call for safety after worker killed at Meriden construction site Union workers rallied in Meriden on Monday night to raise concerns at a construction site in the city where a worker was killed back in May, claiming his death should have never happened.

Need a trade? CT carpenters need a new generation of tradespeople. Being a Union carpenter has changed my life. We are going to need a lot of new people to staff all the work coming in the future and they will need to start training now. Know anyone who is interested? Have them contact our apprenticeship and ask how to get started.

https://www.carpenterslocal326.com/committees
North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
Carpenters Local 326

How to Become an Apprentice | Carpenters Local 326 The North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund is a training program jointly sponsored by the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and our signatory building contractors. Through its programs, the North Atlantic States Carpenters Training Fund offers training in residential and ...