BY SCOTT STIFFLER | Recent rallies held outside of Vanderbilt University’s West Chelsea campus came to a full stop last week–but protesters could return, say previous participants.

The decisive factor in determining how to move forward hinges on whether expextations have been met by one week out from the events of Tuesday, April 7–when construction company Consigli met with the Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York to discuss their role as the general contractor employing non-union and union labor on a project currently transforming former General Theological Seminary grounds (btw. 9th & 10th Aves., W. 20th to 21st Sts.) into Nashville-based Vanderbilt University’s NYC campus. 

“They have until tomorrow to come up with a resolution,” said Michael Piccirillo, Area Standards Director for the NYC District Council of Carpenters, in an April 13 phone interview with Chelsea Community News (CCNews). “If not, we’re going to be back [to rally on West 21st Street].”

As for what constitutes a “resolution,” Piccirillo said, “They [Vanderbilt] have to get a good contractor in there, who pays a living wage, with good healthcare and benefits–the things anyone needs to live in a city like New York.”

Richie Garner is a Business Agent representing UA Plumbers Local 1–who, like the Council of Carpenters, had a rep at the April 7 meeting. In an April 13 phone interview, Garner noted, “From what I was told, it was a cordial meeting”–although not enough to prevent future protest actions. “We’ll be back on our own, if need be,” said Garner, of his union, “and we’ll join in solidarity, and in coordination, with other union trades.”

In an April 9 email statement to CCNews,  James Kellerhouse–Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Director of Operations and Engagement for Vanderbilt University–New York–said, “On April 7, our project partners participated in a constructive and positive meeting with union leadership to continue dialogue around Vanderbilt’s significant investment in its New York City campus.”

While providing no indication of a policy shift regarding the current use of non-union labor, Kellerhouse seemingly left the door open to future hiring practices, noting, “The conversation reflected a shared commitment to continued engagement as and when future phases of work are defined on this historic campus…We will continue to support a good-faith process moving forward.”

Two days before the April 7 meeting, an email from Manhattan Community Board 4 (MCB4) Chair Leslie Boghosian Murphy provided some insight into the Vanderbilt mindset. Her comments were based on having attended the March 26 installment of Vanderbilt’s monthly Coffee & Construction event. Hosted by Kellerhouse, it’s an open-to-the-public opportunity to interact with the construction project management team.

Boghosian Murphy recalled an attendee who lived nearby, who was “concerned with the aggressiveness of the protestors and the general protest noise,” while she herself asked “if they were using union labor, and what was the process of that decision. They [Kellerhouse] said they were using a percentage of union labor–but when they bid out the job, not many union-labor proposals were received, and what they did get was very high-cost. They also mentioned they were aiming for a quicker timeline so students could arrive at the end of August. I’m not sure how that exactly connects to union vs. non-union labor, but it seemed a significant point to them.” Elsewhere during the meeting, Boghosian Murphy mentioned that non-union labor “could be a topic at an upcoming [MCB4] Committee meeting, and offered an invitation [to Vanderbilt] to participate if that happens.”

NOTE: Curious about the construction and infrastructure work currently taking place at Vanderbilt’s West Chelsea campus? Vanderbilt publshes a Weekly Construction Update E-newsletter (click here to sign up).

NOTE: For the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO’s April 3, 2026 account of the protest actions (“Carpenters Rally for Area Standard Wages at Vanderbilt Project”), click here. To access Chelsea Community News’ April 7 report (“Constructive Dialogue? Union Labor is Topic at Meeting with Those at Work on Vanderbilt’s NYC Campus”), click here.

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