Editor's note: The above video about some workers being open to returning to work originally aired March 14, 2022.
SEATTLE — The ongoing concrete strike in Seattle and King County is impacting many construction projects, but the strike is having a significant impact on affordable housing, at a time when the region is grappling with a housing crisis.
The Housing Development Consortium of Seattle-King County (HDC), which encompasses all of the major nonprofit housing developers in King County, said the delay in construction is having a substantial impact on affordable housing development.
11 projects throughout the county are stuck in different phases of construction and are dependent on concrete delivery.
Approximately 5,000 people who need housing security and safety now will have to wait longer for housing as over 1,800 units of housing are delayed, according to HDC.
As much work as possible is being completed without the concrete deliveries but a couple of projects remain stuck at 90% complete, according to HDC. One project in Rainier Beach has been waiting for concrete flooring since December 1, 2021, and would be one of the first steps taken if the strike ended.
"The strike is having a grave impact on our ability to respond to the homelessness and housing state of emergency in King County. We want workers to have fair wages and benefits, but we also want those without housing to be closer to homes," said Brian Lloyd, president of HDC's board of directors. "Right now neither of those things are happening."
Financially, the impact on current projects has been tremendous Lloyd said.
The delays will force the projects' sponsors to pay additional interest on construction loans and may incur penalties due to the late delivery of low-income housing tax credits.
Lloyd said affordable housing projects have already incurred over $20 million of delay costs and penalties.
The shortfall will need to be filled by public funders, which will divert funds that would otherwise subsidize additional new affordable housing units, further contributing to the region's housing crisis. The impact will prevent the construction of at least 120 new units, according to HDC.
"We hope to see the strike end soon and that concrete deliveries can be prioritized by need and public impact, not by who can afford to pay the highest prices," said Lloyd.
King County and Seattle leaders have implored companies and the union representing concrete workers to come to an agreement as soon as possible.
Teamsters Local No. 174 said construction companies are trying to force a package on workers that would be significantly less compared to what other construction workers are receiving. Wages, healthcare and retirement would decrease in compensation over the next three years, when taking inflation into consideration.
The union said it's willing to talk through and work around key disagreements in the negotiations but said the concrete companies are not budging.
The four concrete companies on the other side of the strike issued a statement in late January that they had sent the "best package we have ever offered," including a "17.6 percent pay increase over the next three years."
Earlier this week, the union released a statement offering a return to work at Cadman Seattle, Lehigh Cement, and Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel to "meet community needs." In the letter, the union said it was "making a leap of faith" with the offer.
Both Salmon Bay Sand and Lehigh Cement called workers back, according to a spokesperson. However, the union alleges Cadman Seattle "refused to return its Seattle mixer drivers in a timely manner or provide them with a return date."
Projects like the University of Washington Medical Center's psychiatric hospital have also fallen behind and the deadline has come and gone to end the strike in time to complete work as planned on the West Seattle Bridge, which was expected to reopen in mid-July 2022.
In the first of its kind proposal, King County announced in February it was seeking contract bids from suppliers to help continue construction projects. King County confirmed Thursday it did not receive any bids and said it is evaluating its next steps.