Worlds Apart: Iron Workers Union Pickets Amish Construction of Steam Show Pavilion

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Members of the Iron Workers Union on Wednesday picketed the site of the new 60-by-180 foot American Thresherman's Association pavilion in Pinckneyville City Park. The three picketed the fact that the non-union Amish Mast Construction Co. of Campbell Hill is building the building. It was a collision of cultures as the Amish employees went about their work on the steel building in straw hats instead of hard hats.

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration gives the Amish an exemption because of their religious beliefs. A Thresherman spokesman said there were three bidders on the project--none local--and the Amish bid affords the organization a good building at a reasonable price. The Iron Workers say the Amish are taking away local union jobs.

Mast Construction Co. has been in business for 10 years. The bid on the building was $89,000. The entire project designed to house static steam engine equipment and antique farm equipment is valued at $175,000 project. A local bank is financing $125,000 of the project. The Laborer's "Rat Patrol" was expected at the site today, as well.

The federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration has given the Amish an exemption to wearing hard hats because of religious beliefs since February 1975.(Re: STD 1-6.5; hard hats; exemption for religious reasons).

The 1975 memorandum states that "the Old Order Amish and the Sikh Dharma Brotherhood are both granted an exemption from wearing hard hats. The granting of the above exemption is based on the provisions in the United States Constitution relating tothe free exercise of religion . . . ." After a series of legal developments, OSHA issued Directive STD 1-6.5 - Exemption for Religious Reason from Wearing Hard Hats, dated June 20, 1994, The 1994 directive provides an exception from citations to employers of employees "who, for reasons of personal religious convictions, object to wearing hard hats in the workplace. . . ."

Therefore, in most situations, OSHA does not require employees who object to wearing hard hats for reasons of personal religious convictions to wear them.