A union contractor said she was spit on while trying to cross a picket line at a Somerville construction site this week. - Photo by William Tauro

By Andrew Firestone

A union contractor said she was spit on while trying to cross a pocket line at a Somerville construction site this week.

City officials said they are investigating Jill Miller’s charge that she was attacked and harassed by Tom McIntyre as she finished her work at the old MaxPak factory site slated to hold a 184 unit condominium building.

McIntyre, a regional representative of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsworkers, has organized protests at the site calling for more local and union workers to be hired by developers KSS Realty.

Miller is the co-owner of the Lowell demolition firm R.S.G. hired by K.S.S. Realty Excutive Ted Tobin. Tobin said that he had heard of McIntyre being “unkind” and aggressive, and that picketers had harassed R.S.G. as they tried to finish their work.

“It’s not really unions. It’s not really the carpenters, or the Boston BuildingTrades unions,” he said. “I think it’s only one member of the union who has been really aggressive out there,” he said singling out McIntyre. “It is not a legal picket. It is not being recognized by any of the unions,” said Tobin.

City spokesman Michael Meehan said authorities are looking into this week’s alleged spitting incident.

“We have received a complaint from someone working at the site,” Meehan said. “We haven’t made any arrests, and we can’t get into any specifics until we get something a little more concrete. We are looking into it. We have policemen up there trying to keep the situation peaceful.”

McIntyre strongly denied spitting on Miller. “I can tell you 1,000 percent no one spit on her,” said McIntyre. “Let me be clear, we don’t get anywhere by spitting on contractors.”

Miller said she was attacked while trying to do her job.

“We’re a union contractor, we’re trying to do our work,” said Miller, a member of the local #4 Wrecker’s Union. After not working on Thursday and Friday, Miller said she came today, and told the picketers to leave.

McIntyre said that, in fact, they had been at the site working on Saturday. On Monday, McIntyre said, she came aggressively, and attempted to force her way through the line in her car.

“She came flying up on the sidewalk intent on getting through this group of people that was minding it’s own business,” McIntyre said.  “It’s the first time in three days anybody’s approached me like that.”

Afterwards, Miller said she tried to open the gate, but the picketers closed it. She said the police on duty would not open the gate for her. She then claimed to be harassed soley by the bricklayers union, which she called “Tommy’s little clan.”

“All the other unions have been in discussions with Ted Tobin and KSS Realty, and they’ve all talked to them.” She added, “They’ve talked to Tommy, and told him we don’t have any brick on this job. Tommy just keeps having his rallies and his pickets and everything else.”

Police investigate at future condo site