Business managers in the St. Paul Building and Construction Trades Council have rejected a proposal to merge with the Minneapolis council.

The merger needed a two-thirds majority to move forward, but failed to get even a simple majority in a vote April 10, said Harry Melander, executive secretary for the St. Paul council. Business managers will have to get back together and work out concerns about the structure of a merged council before the idea can be revived, Melander said.

The rejection in St. Paul meant Minneapolis canceled a vote on the proposal that had been scheduled for April 13, said David Ybarra, business manager for the Minneapolis council.

"It's back in the hands of the business managers if they want to pursue it any further," he said.

Building Trades unions include the Bricklayers, Carpenters, Electricians, Operating Engineers, Painters, Pipefitters, Plumbers, Sheet Metal Workers and many others. For the last century, they have been represented by separate councils in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@stpaulunions.org