Aggregate workers on strike, road repairs put on hold

SAUGUS – Potholes and open trenches will have to wait since a work stoppage at Aggregate Industries has put asphalt sales on hold.According to Aggregate Industries Spokeswoman Nancy Sterling, contract negotiations with Teamsters Locals 25 and 42 had been ongoing and Tuesday’s work stoppage took Aggregate by surprise.”We have had a surprise work stoppage at a small percentage of our facilities,” she said, confirming that employees suspended their work at Aggregate’s Saugus, Swampscott and Peabody locations Tuesday. “The negotiations were ongoing and we felt we had made substantial progress, so we were taken by surprise.”Sterling said Aggregate feels the workers’ concerns are “easily solvable issues” and said she was confident the matter would be resolved by today.”We are continuing to negotiate with them – we are doing so as we speak and we believe we will have a resolution by (Wednesday). We’re in good shape at the moment.”Teamsters officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening, but Saugus Department of Public Works Superintendent Joseph Attubato is feeling the effects of their work stoppage.Attubato said he sent workers to Aggregate for hot top in order to address a number of potholes in town, but they came home empty handed.”No potholes for awhile, Aggregate’s on strike,” he said. “I sent them over to Peabody thinking maybe it was just Saugus, but they’re striking too.”Cars outside the Swampscott plant on Danvers Road also indicated a work stoppage – they sported signs announcing the workers were on strike.With Aggregate unavailable at the moment, Attubato said the closest place to get asphalt would be Wilmington.”The problem is once you get back to Saugus the hot top isn’t hot anymore,” Attubato said. “It’s cold and that’s not good.”Attubato said he has a couple of open trenches that need to be repaired – one from a water service replacement project and another connected to a sewer service repair.”They were supposed to be hot-topped (Tuesday),” he said. “I’m not sure what we’ll do.”