Saturday, November 22, 2003
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A Bessemer company has dropped its bid for an injunction against a labor union but does plan to file court papers against another group.
Cleveland Asphalt, which is also known as Romano Paving, is expected to file injunction papers against the Cleveland-based Coalition for a Safe Workplace. Nearly 100 protesters identifying themselves as members of the coalition stood outside the business Friday morning chanting over bullhorns. They also set up a large, inflatable rat.
Attorney Frank Verterano said he initially sought an injunction against the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66 but later decided he might not be able to connect the union to the coalition. Court papers for the union injunction were withdrawn Monday. Walter Romano, president of Romano Paving, had initially identified the protesters as union members because of his company's recent problems in Youngstown.
Romano's sons -- Michael, 37, of Wampum and Thomas, 33, of New Castle -- are each charged with assault and criminal damaging in the beating of a union member who was videotaping their work on West Rayen Avenue in Youngstown last month. The brothers are free on $4,500 bond, and the company stopped work after equipment was damaged.
Protesters had mug shots of the brothers on sweat shirts and the word "chicken" on the back side of the shirts. There were also men dressed in chicken and rat costumes outside the building.
A spokesman said they were union and nonunion members there to protest Romano's work safety record.
Verterano said they are hoping to limit the number of protesters if the group decides to return.