Labor Union Protests Outside Princeton Schools Using Giant Rat

PRINCETON, NJ — A local labor group have placed a giant, inflatable rat outside the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) office at Valley Road to protest a contractor’s hiring of non-local and non- union labor.

PPS has awarded a contract to DCG Construction for a renovation project at Princeton High School. Labor Local 77 (LL77), local arm of the Laborers’ International Union of North America said DCG does not use local residents and union workers.

LL 77 said the demolition, construction and concrete work at PPS should be given to local residents.

“The rat is part of our picketing process. We just want taxpayers to know where their money is going,” said Carl Styles, business manager at Labor Local 77.

Styles said the organization spoke with PPS Business Administrator and Board of Education Secretary, Matt Bouldin, who said there was “nothing he could do.”

They have also been handing out flyers urging residents to call school Superintendent Barry Galasso and Bouldin to urge them to consider their request.

The giant inflatable rodent is known as Scabby the Rat. It is a longtime symbol of labor protests across the county. It has been used to protest anti-union activities.

Styles said the local union has no plans to remove Scabby the Rat from his current position outside PPS anytime soon.

“We want to get a sit down. And we hope it happens sometime this week,” he said.

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