It was a busy year in most regions
Read MoreThe North America’s Building Trades Unions’ annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference shattered its attendance record from the previous year. The 13th annual event was held from Dec. 1-3 in Washington, D.C., at the Washington Hilton Hotel. More than 4,000 people attended, including over 3,700 union tradeswomen.
Read MoreLaborers’ International Union of North American (LIUNA) General President Terry O’Sullivan announced his plan to retire effective April 30, after leading the union for almost
24 years.
“There has been no higher honor or privilege than to represent, defend and fight for the strong, proud and united men and women of LIUNA,” O’Sullivan said. “Each and every day I have served as General President, I have been awed by the power of this union.”
Read MoreThe Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council hosted an event on June 22 to discuss the 21st century workforce for its affiliated union trades.
About 50 building trades leaders from across the state gathered at the IBEW Local 683 Union Hall to attend the conference and learn about the recruitment and retention of members.
Among those in attendance were leaders of regional building trades council, business managers and representees, organizers and JATC training coordinators. Attendees not only listened to speakers, but also had a chance to participate and ask questions.
The keynote speaker was Russ Ormiston, Associate Professor at Allegheny College, who discussed how demographics and labor statistics relate to successful member recruitment in today’s tight labor market.
Union Heads Praise Biden Infrastructure Plan -President Joe Biden’s 10-year, $2 trillion infrastructure plan calls for more than just the construction of roads and bridges. The plan will include, among other items, green retrofitting of schools, construction of energy-efficient housing and $400 billion for new infrastructure for child care and elder care.
Read MoreMajor Projects Across Ohio Boost 2021 Construction Outlook
In Ohio, officials closely involved with the union trades are seeing signs of a somewhat positive outlook for 2021, anchored by a number of large projects.
The Columbus area leads the way, with multiple massive, billion-dollar projects underway or set to break ground in 2021.
In 2019, members of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council logged about 6.75 million manhours. C/COBCTC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dorsey Hager believes they topped that mark in 2020.
Thanks to the ongoing building boom in the area, he anticipates the potential for even more hours worked by affiliated unions in 2021.
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