Carpenters' Union Targets Goodwill With Banner Campaign

If you visit the intersection of Washington and Illinois streets downtown, or your local Goodwill store, you may see men holding a big yellow banner that reads “Shame on Goodwill Industries.”

The organization behind the banners is the Indiana Kentucky Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters.

Paul Berkowitz, attorney for the union, said the real target of the campaign is IWP (Interior Walls Plus), a company hired to work on a new store under construction in Greenwood.

“It‘s a carpenter contract which does not pay the Indianapolis area wages and fringe benefits, and IWP has been bannered at at least three other sites in addition to the Goodwill site,” Berkowitz said.

The wage and benefit standards he referred to are based on the union’s collective bargaining agreement, and include a $28 per hour wage, health care, and overtime.

Goodwill said it should not be the target of the protest. 

“This is not a Goodwill issue,” said Goodwill of Central Indiana spokesperson Cindy Graham, explaining that IWP was subcontracted for the work by GDI Construction.

According to GDI owner Terry McCardwell, the construction company selected IWP because it was the lowest-priced, qualified bidder.  McCardwell cited a 15 percent turnover rate as evidence that IWP employees are compensated fairly.

The new Goodwill store, currently under construction, is at 709 U.S. Highway 31 in Greenwood.

IWP owner Jarrett Pittman declined to comment for this story.