Union charges "Construction Malpractice" at new Penn Medicine facility in King of Prussia; IUOE Local 542 launches digital media campaign

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Fort Washington, Pa based International Union of Operating Engineers Local 542, a union representing 6,300 workers in the construction industry, is accusing the Penn Medicine health care system of "construction malpractice" at its new facility currently under construction in King of Prussia.

The reason for the charge, according to IUOE Local 542 Business Agent Frank Bankard, is that Penn Medicine allowed the general contractor for the project, IMC Construction headed by Malvern businessman Robert Cottone, to employ non-union subcontractors like RNR Construction of State College, PA.

Bankard contends that IMC and RNR pay lower wages than area standards and employ workers who have not been registered with state accredited apprentice training programs for safety and quality.

"Penn Medicine prides itself on delivering high quality health care services throughout the region but their high standards apparently don't carry over into how their facilities are built," said Bankard. "We consider the practice of undercutting standards by Robert Cottone's IMC Construction as a form of construction malpractice that does not align with Penn Medicine's health care delivery reputation."

IUOE Local 542 today launched a digital ad campaign to bring its concerns about possible quality and safety issues at the Penn Medicine construction site to residents and customers in the immediate area.

The union is asking people who see its digital ads to call Penn Medicine and demand that the hospital system make sure the contractors building its facility in King of Prussia are held to the same quality and safety standards that are the norm throughout the regional construction industry.

"Allowing IMC and RNR to increase profits by cutting corners is not the way for Penn Medicine to guarantee safety and quality at the facilities it is building," said Bankard. "Penn Medicine needs to start holding the contractors and subcontractors it pays to build its facilities to the same standards of quality and safety it applies to its own delivery of health care."

SOURCE International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 542

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