[FONT=Verdana]Renovation is ready to begin on Broome County's George Harvey Justice Building. But a hold up in the courts could delay the 17-million dollar project.

Thursday night, county legislators met to discuss the construction, alongside hundreds of local union workers. Strength in numbers...union workers join forces and stand united...to win a bid on the Harvey Justice renovation.

And after this Broome County legislative meeting...they're virtually guaranteed that bid they've been fighting for. "Very pleased. It's a good showing for the United Labor Trades and the county," says Jim Collins of Electricians Local Binghamton.

Under a Preferred Labor Agreement, the construction project requires ninety percent of the workers be union based. County legislators were all in favor a few weeks ago. But, now some would like to recall their vote because they believe the contract was misleading.

They hoped to do just that, but no such luck.

A vote shot down any discussion or reconsideration of the contract's terms.

"Since it's in litigation...it's in the courts...we though that it was probably smarter not to bring it back and discuss it publicly," says legislative chairman Mark Whalen.

Still, some legislators believe not as many local union groups would get assigned to the project as initially thought. 5 of the 11 union groups are not located in the Broome County area. "My party feels slighted because we weren't even allowed to discuss this PLA," says legislative minority chairman Dan Schofield.

With discussions off the table for right now, the case will go to court.

Regardless of who gets the bid, these workers aim to see the project stay in the union. "It brings local labor to go to work on the project," says Collins.

A hearing on the case is scheduled in State Supreme Court on January 29th.[/FONT]