Painters Union Calls For Boycott Of PPG Products
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - International Union of Painters and Allied Trades want to boycott PPG, claiming a new digital platform will result in worker exploitation.
The union says PPG Services, which allows businesses to find contractors for painting products, threatens to drive down wages and reduce quality.
They also say the platform has "predatory pricing" and makes it nearly impossible for union workers to be paid fairly.
The web-based platform was launched last fall and PPG says it allows businesses with multiple commercial facilities to connect with professional painters.
Union members rallied Friday in Market Square near PPG Place.
Thank you for the show of support!! #BoycottPPG https://t.co/n7oNpbIIar
— James Williams (@Jimmy_iupat) January 31, 2020
Responding in a statement, PPG says that many union and non-union painters have already benefited from PPG Services.
PPG's statement reads in full:
Our goal is to support painters' success and create the most value that we can for our customers. Through PPG Services, we help union and non-union partners capture incremental business with limited overhead cost at current market rates.
The ever-increasing expectations of today's "always-connected" customer have impacted businesses across many industries, driving creation of new, innovative solutions to meet changing needs. As a 137-year-old company and leader in the paint and coatings industry, PPG recognizes that the painting service industry is not immune to this change and must adapt to deliver differentiated digital solutions to manage complex customer needs with agility, ease and efficiency.
If we think about paint, it's not an industry that has been disrupted yet. But if you think about our end customers' journeys, those are shifting and changing. The question for the union would be, what are you doing to enable your members to be successful in a changing world?
While we respect every organization's right to share diverse perspectives through public demonstration, we remain confident in the PPG Services value proposition based on collaborative development, positive customer feedback and continued interest in the platform. Many union and non-union painters have already benefited from working with PPG Services. We will continue to work with organizations such as IUPAT to ensure mutual success.
