Building a Union Career
What makes the construction industry different from other industries?
Jobs can't be exported. It's hard to imagine a day where the building needed in Kansas will be built in China and shipped overseas. According to the Buireau for Labor Statistics, the construction industry has been identified as the only goods-producing sector in which employment is expected to grow between 2002 and 2012.
Careers
If you find yourself fascinated with the construction of bridges, skyscrapers, schools and roads, construction might be a career choice for you.
There are many career opportunities in the construction industry. These jobs include carpenters, masons, plumbers and electricians. Employees in these jobs are highly skilled in their trades and gain their education through registered apprenticeships, technical school/college programs or AAS degrees at local community colleges.
Congressional panel approves Stillwater bridge plan
Submitted by JohnSee on Thu, 10/06/2011 - 11:30am(from Minnesota Public Radio)
A congressional committee gave the green light Wednesday to a $700 million plan to replace the aging lift bridge in Stillwater. The bill to allow construction of a replacement bridge easily passed the House Natural Resources Committee. The National Parks service has ruled the bridge would violate the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and Rep. Rush Holt, D-New Jersey, cited that in making a veiled criticism of the bridge bill's sponsor, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. Read more »
Keystone Hearing in Nebraska Sandhills Draws Mostly Critics, and Passions Flare
Submitted by JohnSee on Tue, 10/04/2011 - 11:24am(by Lisa Song, Inside Climate News) Read more »
Secretary of Labor Solis in Minneapolis at the 10th Ave Bridge
Submitted by JohnSee on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 1:35pmSecretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis visited with construction workers, politicians, and business leaders at the 10th Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis on Thursday, Sept. 29 She was in Minneapolis to discuss the American Jobs Act’s impact for Minnesota’s economy and the state’s workers. She also addressed a national young workers conference hosted by the AFL-CIO to discuss what the president’s plan means for youth, college students and young professionals. Read more »
AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust Honors over 150 Workers at Flux Apartments
Submitted by JohnSee on Wed, 09/21/2011 - 11:35amThe AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust (BIT) and Greco Development LLC recently held an appreciation luncheon to honor union workers at the Flux Apartments' construction site in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. Over 150 workers, all members of unions affiliated with the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council, were in attendance. Guests were also joined by national and local labor leaders who recognized the BIT for its commitment to job creation in the area and praised the workers for their skill and professionalism. Read more »
Oil Sands hearing on September 29: Get on the bus!
Submitted by JohnSee on Thu, 09/15/2011 - 1:46pmBuilding Trades' presence is critical for a hearing in Pierre, South Dakota, about the proposed Keystone XL project. As with everything, those who show up, win. And if we do not show up, this pipeline- and a refinery project that depends on it-means the loss of 20,000 jobs. Read more »
Impact of Construction Jobs in Minnesota
Submitted by JohnSee on Wed, 09/14/2011 - 12:16pmPolicymakers need to start finding a way to get our economy moving again. The construction industry presents, in the words of corporate America, a large ROI (return-on-investment). Putting construction workers to work stimulates the economy not only by injecting wages into it and thereby increasing consumer demand, but it eases the burden on social welfare and unemployment systems.
To see the economic impact of the consrtruction industry, lets look at some facts. Read more »
Ironworkers of the Sky (New York Times)
Submitted by JohnSee on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 2:20pm
(by Randy Kennedy, NYT) To get to the top of One World Trade Center as it stands in mid-August, just shy of 1,000 feet above Lower Manhattan, higher than anything else on the island’s southern end, first you walk to the middle of the blast-resistant concrete cathedral that will become the building’s lobby. From there, a hoist takes you to the 39th floor, whose perimeter has already been glassed in. Read more »
The singing iron worker of the 2nd Avenue subway: A "Summer Wind" breezes through downtown
Submitted by JohnSee on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 1:30pmA new subway line is being built in New York City on the east side of Central Park. Its loud, dirty, noisy, and a general pain in the neck for anyone traveling through that part of town. It also involves a lot of union trades workers with good jobs who are creating a much easier option for anybody trying to get around NYC in the future. Amidst all the noise and dust is Gary Russo from Iron Workers Local 40 who has decided to help alleviate the situation- with song. Read more »
Building Trades members gather and it’s all about jobs, jobs, jobs
Submitted by JohnSee on Thu, 07/28/2011 - 3:17pm
Facing the worst employment outlook in decades, representatives of state construction unions gathered in their annual convention Thursday to put the focus on jobs. They heard from numerous speakers, including legislators, with Governor Mark Dayton scheduled to address delegates Friday.
The 65th annual convention of the Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council follows a nearly three-week state government shutdown that idled thousands of private sector construction workers in addition to 22,000 state employees. Read more »
Obama, Trumka Talk National Infrastructure As MN Shutdown Freezes 100 Construction Projects
Submitted by JohnSee on Thu, 07/07/2011 - 12:26pmWe Party Patriots: Yesterday’s Twitter Town Hall caused much ado online. Millions of Tweeps partook, mocked and ignored the event, in which President Obama fielded questions via Twitter (presumably the most commonly asked questions earned air time) and answered them.
Of particular interest to the private sector was Obama’s discussion of infrastructure investment, wherein he chided House Speaker John Boehner, suggesting the famous-for-golfing GOP leader would “see the light.” Read more »