U.S. Department of Labor sets final rule on worker misclassification

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a long-awaited final rule regarding the misclassification of workers. On Jan. 9, the DOL officially stated it would rescind an independent contractor rule put in place during the Trump Administration. Among the industries the rule is expected to affect are construction, healthcare, trucking and housekeeping.The new final rule will help employers and workers better understand when a worker must be considered an employee and when they qualify as an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

2023 TWBN Conference sets attendance record

The 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.

Acting DOL Secretary Su pushes workers’ rights

Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su strongly pushed workers’ rights enforcement to a Republican-controlled House committee that at times challenged her plan. Her testimony before the House Education and the Workforce Committee on June 7 was intended to be a discussion of the Department of Labor budget for fiscal 2024, which begins Oct. 1, but it also gave insight into how Su will lead the Labor Department.

Union leaders praise Su nomination as next Labor Secretary

Union leaders hailed President Joe Biden’s nomination of Deputy Labor Secretary Julie Su to succeed Marty Walsh, in the U.S. Labor Department’s top job.

CBCTC GenMarch 1, 2023Department of Labor, US Department of Labor, Julie Su, President Biden, Joe Biden

DOL Secretary Walsh to leave Biden Cabinet

The strongest and loudest supporter of union construction, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, announced his intention to step down from his current position in mid-March. Walsh, 55, the former Mayor of Boston and Massachusetts state representative, will become the first traditional Cabinet secretary to leave since President Joe Biden took office. The former leader of the Greater Boston Building Trades Unions and a card-carrying member of Laborers Local 223 is returning to organized labor via professional sports.

Department of Labor Announces Plan to Rescind all IRAP's

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced plans to permanently rescind previous efforts to create Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) from all industries.

Introduced during the Trump administration, IRAPs were widely criticized by the labor community due to their lack of oversight. These “self-monitored” apprenticeship programs rely on employers or affiliated partners to train new workers without any government regulation or oversight.

Many feared these programs could lead to a permanent class of apprentices.

U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh Visits Cleveland

Laborers’ Local 310 officers welcomed Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to the Local 310 Union Hall. From left to right: Field Representative Sean Campbell, Business Manager Terry Joyce, Secretary of Labor Walsh, Secretary-Treasurer Thomas Byrne and Field Representative/President John Soeder.

Senate OKs Laborers Walsh as Labor Secretary

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, a member of Laborers Local 223 and former head of the Greater Boston Building Trades Union, was officially appointed U.S. Labor Secretary on March 22. Walsh became the first union member in decades to head the U.S. Department of Labor.

Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council Blog