FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — April 15, 2009

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local l03 of Greater Boston
256 Freeport Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
Tel: (617) 436-3710
Website: www.ibew103.com

For Further Information, Contact:
Lou Antonellis, Business Representative IBEW Local 103,
617-797-1616 (cell), 617-436-3710 x 5 (office)
or Pat Clark, 718-852-2808

Governor Patrick Asks Building Trades Union Leaders
to Accompany Him to Biotech Council's Annual Meeting

Today the governor's office has requested that the heads of Local 103 of the IBEW and the Massachusetts Building Trades Council accompany Governor Deval Patrick to his address at the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC) in an effort to resolve growing tensions between organized labor and leading biotech companies in the Council.

Since this morning, members of Local 103 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and other building trades unions have been protesting and picketing at street entrances leading into the Seaport World Trade Center where the MBC is holding its annual meeting. Gov. Patrick is scheduled to deliver closing remarks at 5 pm.

The union wants the governor to emphasize:

• * that these companies must resolve their differences with the building trades unions by employing contractors that hire union electricians and other local workers who are graduates of the best apprentice training programs, earn area-standard wages and benefits, and deliver top quality work at job sites that are constantly monitored for safe working conditions.
• * that the biotech industry seriously consider and address the array of concerns raised by the unions and other critics of the industry regarding behavior that contributes to skyrocketing drug and healthcare costs and imperils patients.

####