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.
The shutdown was the final insult in a legislative session that included numerous attacks on workers, including Republican attempts to strip public employees of their union rights and to eliminate the prevailing wage law that sets a floor underneath construction pay, State Building Trades President Harry Melander said.
“This legislative session was like a rough day on Lake Superior, in a boat with no life jackets,” he said.
The Building Trades made no progress in promoting economic development in mining, nuclear power or a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, Melander said. Construction workers can take solace, however, in the $555 million bonding bill to invest in infrastructure that was passed as part of the agreement to end the government shutdown.
Most projects in the bonding bill won’t get rolling until the fall, but should generate in the neighborhood of 14,000 jobs. With thousands of construction workers “on the bench,” the work will be welcome.
Tom Bakk, leader of the DFL minority in the state Senate, said the investment will also have a ripple effect.
“It’s going to generate hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in construction in addition to what the state is spending,” Bakk said.
A series of DFL lawmakers addressed Building Trades delegates and criticized the Republican proposals and the acrimonious nature of the legislative session. No Republicans spoke to the convention, although their leadership was invited.
“They [Republicans] want to take away all the rights that we’ve all worked for,” said DFL Rep. Mike Nelson, who is also a union carpenter.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the worst aspects of the political rhetoric during the session and the shutdown were the attacks on teachers and other public employees and the assault on the notion of public service. He urged Building Trades unions to reach out to their members and encourage them to vote.
The president of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades, James Williams, said workers must demand accountability from elected officials, whether they’re at the state Capitol or in Washington, D.C.
“Who is talking about jobs right now?” he asked.
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| Past presidents of the Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council gathered with current President Harry Melander (center) at the state convention Thursday in Duluth. From left are Dan Gustafson, Dick Anfang, Melander, Dave Roe and Ray Waldron. Gustafson, Roe and Waldron also served as presidents of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. |
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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.
The shutdown was the final insult in a legislative session that included numerous attacks on workers, including Republican attempts to strip public employees of their union rights and to eliminate the prevailing wage law that sets a floor underneath construction pay, State Building Trades President Harry Melander said.
“This legislative session was like a rough day on Lake Superior, in a boat with no life jackets,” he said.
The Building Trades made no progress in promoting economic development in mining, nuclear power or a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings, Melander said. Construction workers can take solace, however, in the $555 million bonding bill to invest in infrastructure that was passed as part of the agreement to end the government shutdown.
Most projects in the bonding bill won’t get rolling until the fall, but should generate in the neighborhood of 14,000 jobs. With thousands of construction workers “on the bench,” the work will be welcome.
Tom Bakk, leader of the DFL minority in the state Senate, said the investment will also have a ripple effect.
“It’s going to generate hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in construction in addition to what the state is spending,” Bakk said.
A series of DFL lawmakers addressed Building Trades delegates and criticized the Republican proposals and the acrimonious nature of the legislative session. No Republicans spoke to the convention, although their leadership was invited.
“They [Republicans] want to take away all the rights that we’ve all worked for,” said DFL Rep. Mike Nelson, who is also a union carpenter.
Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the worst aspects of the political rhetoric during the session and the shutdown were the attacks on teachers and other public employees and the assault on the notion of public service. He urged Building Trades unions to reach out to their members and encourage them to vote.
The president of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades, James Williams, said workers must demand accountability from elected officials, whether they’re at the state Capitol or in Washington, D.C.
“Who is talking about jobs right now?” he asked.
|
| Past presidents of the Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council gathered with current President Harry Melander (center) at the state convention Thursday in Duluth. From left are Dan Gustafson, Dick Anfang, Melander, Dave Roe and Ray Waldron. Gustafson, Roe and Waldron also served as presidents of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. |