The construction industry in the United States is undergoing a once-in-a-lifetime transformation with the passage of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It will create more than 700,000 new jobs of which 175,000 will be in the construction business, according to the Biden administration. This is an exceptional moment of growth and opportunity…Read More…

The Township of Parsippany is actively taking steps to ensure that construction projects in the community are supporting local workers and providing the best return on investment for taxpayers. They are doing this using Project Labor Agreements (PLAs). PLAs are transparent, agreed upon contracts that provide stability and structure on large scale construction projects. A…Read More…

Philadelphia native Quinzel Washington, 27, fell in love with construction as a child. But when he was ready to enter the working world, he found that joining the field isn’t as easy as walking up to a construction company and getting a job. During his search for employment, Washington saw that Eastern State Penitentiary’s Masonry Academy was…Read More…

A coalition of contractors, developers, labor, trade groups and corporations, have launched an initiative called “Everybody Builds,” to improve the diversity of workers in the city’s construction industry. It marks the first time such a group has come together to work towards a goal of diversifying an industry that activists have criticized and protested against…Read More…

Dear Editor: When you’re driving by a construction site, do you ever wonder how all those moving parts meld together in an organized and coherent effort? How do all those construction workers seem to approach the task with a single-mindedness that later results in a grand new structure?  On a well-run project, the secret is…Read More…

The construction industry has a long way to go when it comes to creating a more diverse workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2021, 87.9% of construction workers identified as White. In order to attract more people of color, the industry needs to take concrete steps to ensure it is creating…Read More…

September 2, 2022 WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a final rule amending the Federal Management Regulation to enable access to GSA-controlled facilities by union organizers to educate employees of private sector government contractors working in these facilities about the benefits of organizing, collective bargaining, and union membership. This rule is the latest in the…Read More…

As Labor Day approaches, it’s fitting that unions get the recognition they deserve for leading the fight to improve the lives of millions of Americans — union and nonunion alike — by providing access to the middle class and the American Dream. Sadly, it’s getting harder and harder for today’s tradespeople to access the upward…Read More…