While Jay-Z’s 40/40 club in New York City is currently being remodeled, workers and spectators passing by were shocked and perplexed last week when giant inflatable rats were erected outside of his popular nightclub. According to reports, an angry local union upset with the rapper for using non-union workers to remodel the club, is responsible for erecting the rats.
According to TMZ, the New York City District Council of Carpenters is protesting Jay-Z and his 40/40 club, complaining that the company Jigga hired, Conelle Construction does not meet “area labor standards” and is paying their workers a “substandard wage.”
“A rat is a contractor that does not pay all of its employees the area standard wages, including either providing or making payments for family health care and pension benefits. Shame on the 40/40 CLUB & Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z for contributing to the erosion of area standards for New York City carpenters,” wrote a spokesperson for the watchdog group to Curbed. “The New York City District Council of Carpenters has a labor dispute with A&V Drywall which is performing work at 6 West 25th Street in NYC. 40/40 CLUB & Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z [are] responsible for hiring CONELLE CONSTRUCTION CORP. Conelle Construction does not meet area labor standards, including providing or fully paying for family health care and pension for all of its carpenter craft employees.”
However, TMZ also reports that a rep for the 40/40 club is claiming that they are not required to hire union contractors because the club is located in a non-union building. The rep also claims that some of the union protestors have begun using racial slurs against the workers to intimidate them and upset the public, a move that the rep called a “poor tactic.”
The 40/40 club is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 1. –nicholas robinson
