WTC concrete workers return to work Thursday

The concrete workers who walked off the job at the World Trade Center will be back on the job Thursday, ending their three-day walkout.

After two days of negotiations, the workers, represented by the Cement and Concrete Workers Union, and the Cement League, which represents managers, decided to extend their contract — which expired last month — to Aug. 16 , allowing the laborers to return to work while negotiations continued, said Louis Coletti, president of the Building Trades Employers’ Association, which represents contractors including the Cement League.

“Everybody will be back to work” Thursday, he told amNewYork Wednesday night.

Neither side returned calls for comments Wednesday night.

The dispute had centered around protecting workers’ salaries.

The contractors were seeking a 20% reduction in pay for the laborers.

Concrete workers at the future site of Two World Trade Center were ordered back to work Wednesday, after an arbitrator said the strike violated their contract.

Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority, said the strike has resulted only in “minimal” setbacks on construction.