Members of the Tri- State Building and Trades Council Tuesday staged an informational picket against Womack Development Corporation, the outfit remodeling the Ashland Plaza Hotel for new owner SKPR, LLC.

Council Business Manager Steve Burton said Womack pays his workers substandard wages, provides little or no health insurance, and, to his knowledge, offers no pension plan, He declined to say what the difference is between union wages and the wages Womack development employees are paid.

&uot;Let’s just say his highest paid person is paid less than our lowest paid person,&uot; Burton said. He

added that this is not a union versus non union matter. &uot;It’s a public announcement that they’re breaking down the wage standard in this area. I’d like him to pay his employees a standard of wages that they can not only work in that hotel, but have enough money to walk up to the counter and pay the bill for staying there.&uot;

Cozra Taylor, General Manager for the Ashland Plaza Hotel, said since the picketers showed up outside, people have called to cancel reservations. She lamented that the hotel is suffering as a result of a situation that was not of its own making.

&uot;I’m sorry for the problem. We’re here to serve the community, and we’re stuck in the middle,&uot; Taylor said.

The Ironton Tribune attempted to contact John Womack, of Womack Development Corporation. He was not available for comment when calls were placed to his office, and calls were not returned by press time. Teresa Moore/The Ironton Tribune