The legislature answered the call yesterday, passing a $1 billion package of job-creating infrastructure investments.

Just what the Governor planned to do in response — sign the entire bill, veto it, or use line item vetoes to reduce the scope of the bill — could be known as early as today.

Minnesota AFL-CIO president Shar Knutson called on Governor Tim Pawlenty to sign the bill in its entirety.

“Governor Pawlenty should remember that every project he vetoes means fewer good-paying jobs for Minnesotans,” Knutson said. “Family sustaining jobs not only provide Minnesotans with economic security, they generate much needed revenue to help close the state’s budget gap.”

The Minnesota AFL-CIO declared before this year’s legislative session began that passing a jobs infrastructure bonding bill of at least $1 billion was the federation’s number one priority.

At the March 10 rally, hundreds of Building Trades workers filled the rotunda and all the balconies. They roared approval as union leaders, construction industry leaders, and legislative leaders spoke of the need for the state to take action and put people back to work.

The rally was organized by the Building Jobs Coalition, uniting the construction industry and labor to push for job-promoting legislation at the Capitol this year.

Harry Melander, president of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council, said, “this is not about partisan politics. This is about Minnesota. This is about jobs, jobs, jobs!”

“How many of you are satisfied with the economy right now?” asked Dave Semerad, director of the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota. A thundering chorus of boos replied.

“We have to have a bonding bill and it has to be a good one,” said Semerad. “The vertical construction industry in Minnesota is in the tank. We need action now to put Minnesota to work.”

Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, took to the podium and led the crowd in a deafening chant: “What do we need? Jobs! When to we need them? Now!”

While the state’s unemployment rate now stands at about 8.2 percent, unemployment in the building trades unions is running 30 percent, 40 percent, even higher than 50 percent. (And building trades workers lucky enough to be on the job are working less. “Our unemployment rate is in excess of 30 percent but the work hours we have are almost cut in half,” Melander told a reporter after the rally).

“You are over-represented in the unemployment numbers in Minnesota,” Kelliher acknowledged at the rally. “You are living it every day.”

“This is real simple,” said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller. “When the economy is in the tank, build stuff.”

“There’s one thing we need right now,” Pogemiller continued, when someone shouted out: “A new governor!” Pogemiller went on: “We need one person to set aside his job aspirations for your job aspirations.”

After the rally concluded, unemployed Building Trades workers were willing to share their stories. Although many of them came to the rally dressed for work with hardhats and safety vests and overalls, they hadn’t worn that gear on a job site for many, many months.

Gerald Nelms, 32, Minneapolis, an 11-year member of Laborers Local 563, said he had been out of work for a full year — with a wife and two kids two support. Asked how his family could survive, he choked up and replied with two words: “Ramen noodles.”

Nelms added: “If there’s a chance for politicians to do their jobs, if you can pass a bill to help me put food on the table, I’d like you to listen to me and create some bills to get some jobs going.”

“They get us back to work and it will help the whole state. Everything we earn goes right back into the economy,” said Mike Johnson, Minneapolis, a 30-year member of Laborers Local 563 who has been out of work since October.

John Swanson, 47, a 25-year member of IBEW 343 in Rochester, came to the rally with a busload of members from his local. He said 35-40 percent of the local is on the bench. He said he has been out of work since February 2009, except for five months when he went to Iowa to work. He hasn’t found work in Minnesota, he said, since August 2008.

How does he survive? “Your unemployment starts running out... Savings dwindle.” He added, “hopefully we’ll get back to work soon. That’s the key. Everybody’s working, everybody’s happy. You’re making money. You’re paying taxes.”

After the rally, a contingent of 15 Laborers Local 405 members from the Rochester area went to the Governor’s office and wrote comments for the Governor on forms provided there.

“I’ve worked maybe three months out of the last year. I have a kid in college,” said Tom Dempewolf, 49, Rochester, a seven-year member of Laborers Local 405, after he took his turn writing a message for the Governor.

Dempewolf said he wrote a simple two-word message for the Governor: “Need work.”


Visit the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation on Facebook to view photos from the March 10 rally.

Video from the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation