Giant Inflatable Rat at the Curley Rec. Center

If you’re on a construction site, it’s never a good sign when a giant inflatable rat shows up. Well, on Friday morning, the rat and about 30 protesters showed up to the Curley Community Center aka the L.
They are there to picket the non-union workers hired by the City of Boston via PJ Dionne to work on the $15 million renovations to the community center.
Evidently, PJ Dionne, a commercial plumbing and HVAC contractor based out of Woburn, is using non-union workers and that’s not flying with union workers. Holding the signs that read, Union Busting is Distgusting and Shame on PJ Dionne, union workers stood in the cold weather during rush hour in front of the construction site. Beeps and honks of support could be heard from traffic passing by.
The 12-foot tall rat complete with pointy teeth and red eyes, is a symbol of a labor dispute and has been used for decades by labor unions. They serve as a sign of opposition against employers or nonunion contractors, and are intended to call public attention to companies employing nonunion labor.
A Little Union Trivia
Did you know that the giant, inflatable rat has a name? His name is Scabby the Rat.

Maureen Dahill is the founder of Caught in Media. Once a longtime wardrobe and prop stylist for brands such as Rue La La, TJ Max & Hasbro, she is a devoted lover of vintage clothing, Martini Mondays, Castle Island, AND a 4th generation South Boston native. Mother of three, married to Peter G.
Let others eat always the union stick the nose
As a union worker I just want to show support and love for my union brothers and sisters