Philly Union is wrong in this case...

[nickshepDEM]

Completely ridiculous...

City plumbers union says no way to no-flush urinals.

Comcast Center's developer wants the less smelly, more sanitary, water-saving toilets for its green skyscraper.

"The 58-story Comcast Center rising over 17th Street is already destined to be Philadelphia's tallest and most environmentally friendly skyscraper. But its developer, Liberty Property Trust, dreams of claiming an even more prestigious title: America's tallest green building.

Unfortunately, the city's quest for national glory may go down the drain of a waterless urinal.

The local plumbers union is blocking Liberty's plan to install no-flush, water-saving urinals in the men's rooms at the Comcast Center. Without them, the finished skyscraper would guzzle an extra 1.6 million gallons of water a year, and Liberty could have trouble obtaining a coveted seal of approval from the U.S. Green Building Council

Ironically, the Philadelphia Water Department has been looking for ways to reduce the water flowing into the city's overburdened sewer system. After a heavy rain, the city must often release untreated sewage into the Delaware River. "Waterless urinals would certainly be in line with our sustainable goals," said Glenn Abrams, the department's urban watersheds planner.

[don954]

1. damit, if they want progressive and democratic support, they have

to stop stupid things like this! come on! -girrrr-

[lvx35]

2. What's the union's issue with it?

My college uses those urinals and their fine, and they were installed by union labor I believe.

[nickshepDEM]

3. Less labor and maintenance = Less Work

[lvx35]

7. Yeah its ridiculous (link)

I just read the full story

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/14131612.htm

It is ridiculous, its an example of terrible union leadership. If the plumbers union wants more labor, they should be demanding even more green systems that require union labor to test their environmental safety on a regular basis. There's plenty of work to be done in making a greener world.

[Teaser]

6. Less pipe=less paid maintenance time

nt

[Walt Disney]

4. I don't get it. Aren't there still going to be water lines run for the

lavatories and water closets? If so, Comcast is only eliminating water supply branch lines to the urinals (they still have a drain line).

If this is true (and I don't doubt you), it is ridiculous.

[nickshepDEM]

5. ... delete

[Dogmudgeon]

8. It's also bogus

The story has been run for weeks by the Inquirer as a union-bashing piece.

The actual issue, tucked away inside some of the stories, is that the union opposed the thing because they don't work well, and they can be magically converted to flush urinals anyway. So the idea is to install the urinals, trumpet to the world that the great Free Enterprise System cares more for the environment than do those nasty old union thugs, and then to quietly turn the water on after the users start to complain.

It's a union-busting scam on the part of Comcast and the Inqy.

--p!

[Walt Disney]

9. "Magically converted" sounds like water lines connected to the

non-flush urinals. So why are the plumbers standing in the way?