Building & Construction Trades Department

A well-reasoned editorial, published in the Washington Post today, that cuts through the misinformation about the Dulles Rail PLA and exposes the complete ideological and anti-union zealotry of the ABC and conservative VA GOP lawmakers.

Read More

Approximately 2,000 delegates roared with approval at Elizabeth Warren’s contention that the Republican Party has moved the culture of our nation to one defined by the notion of “I’ve got mine, the rest of you are on your own.” Prior to Warren’s speech, the conference was graced by the presence of U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. Invoking the strong and enduring legacy of recently deceased Building Trades President Mark H. Ayers, Solis bestowed an unexpected, yet touching, honor.

Read More

The Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, announced today its enthusiastic endorsement of the 2012 re-election bid of President Barack Obama.  The announcement comes on the heels of a unanimous vote of the Department’s Governing Board of Presidents.

“The decision reached by the Governing Board of Presidents reflects the firm belief of all of our unions that a Barack Obama presidency offers the continued, steady hand of a leader who navigated our nation through some very uncertain times when not just our nation, but the entire globe, was on the verge of economic collapse,” said Sean McGarvey, President of the Building and Construction Trades Department..

Read More

President Barack Obama today expressed his frustrations at the continued resistance of some in Congress to block efforts that would invest in the re-building of America’s infrastructure.

The President spoke before a capacity crowd of 3,000 delegates to the Building and Construction Trades Department’s 2012 National Legislative Conference in Washington, DC.

“So, let me ask you,” the President said.  “What’s a better way to make our economy stronger?  Giving another tax break to every millionaire and billionaire in the country?  Or building the roads and bridges and broadband networks that will help our businesses sell more goods around the world?”

Read More

Ladies and gentlemen... brothers and sisters... and distinguished guests...it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2012 National Legislative Conference of the Building and Construction Trades Department.

And it is my distinct and humble honor to address you this morning as the President of this great organization.  I am so very grateful to this Governing Board of Presidents for placing their faith and trust in me.  And you can rest assured that it will be my intention to NEVER, EVER let you down.

Read More

Thank you all for having me here today.  It’s always an honor to be with folks who get up every day and fight for America’s workers.  Together, you represent the latest in a long, proud line of men and women who have built this country from the ground up.  It was workers like you who led us westward and pushed us skyward.  It was your predecessors who put down the hard hats and helped us defeat fascism.  And when that was done, you kept on building – the highways we drive on, the houses we live in, the schools where our children learn, the foundation of what it means to be an American.

Read More

In an announcement made today, the Tennessee Valley Authority Board unanimously approved continuing with construction of the second generating unit at Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.  Construction Unions working on the site have shown their dedication to quality, professionalism and value every day so far - and this paves the way for an additional $1.5b-$2b worth of funding to complete the work...

Read More

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), and CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training announced
today the launch of a construction fall prevention campaign. It is a nationwide initiative to prevent falls
at small residential construction sites. Falls continue to be the leading cause of work-related injury and
deaths in construction.

Read More

On April 16, 2012, at a special meeting of the Governing Board of Presidents of the Building and Construction Trades Department held in accordance with Article IV, Section 7, of the Department's Constitution, Sean McGarvey was unanimously elected President of the Building and Construction Trades Department.

Read More