Women Building Success celebrates tradeswomen at awards ceremony

Union tradeswomen and labor leaders gathered June 1 in White Bear Lake for the Women Building Success Awards, a celebration of local apprentices, journey workers and advocates for women pursuing careers in the construction trades. Women Building Success (WBS) is a Minnesota organization founded in 2017 to recognize and promote the achievements of women in […]

IBEW 110, Rice County Habitat enter third decade of partnership

“It’s a skilled trade we were fortunate to learn, and we are fortunate to be able to give back,” longtime IBEW volunteer Bob Delesha said.

St. Paul unions take on new role getting fresh food to families

Local unions are stepping up this winter to connect thousands of Minnesotans with free, fresh food available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program. The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, which brings together over 100 local unions in Chisago, Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties, is spearheading the effort, working in […]

Labor values are lived, not learned for union members on the 2020 ballot

Members of labor unions make the best labor-endorsed candidates. Fortunately for working families, several union members are running for office this year with the Labor 2020 endorsement. “We know that when union members hold public office, they champion our values and work hard to shift the balance of power for working people,” said Bill McCarthy, […]

Trades celebrate Women Build Success awards

Local tradeswomen honored the most badass among them.

IBEW 110’s growing minority caucus hooks up Habitat house in Faribault

Saturday was a national day of service for the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, and 25 volunteers from St. Paul-based Local 110 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers spent the morning roughing in a Habitat for Humanity home in Faribault. The service project brought together journey-level workers, apprentices and their family members. Volunteer turnout was […]

Labor community, TEAM help get IBEW apprentice’s family on track

It seemed to Dustin Hudak that any time he made progress on his goals, disaster was bound to strike. One step forward, two steps back. But things are finally looking up for Hudak and his family, thanks to an apprenticeship with St. Paul-based Local 110 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and support from […]

In North Branch, union volunteers help build home for disabled veteran’s family

A partially disabled military veteran and his family own a new home in North Branch, thanks to a little help from East Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity and several Building Trades unions. After a dedication ceremony Oct. 29, Eric and JoAnn Trudeau took ownership of the 1,3252-square-foot home, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a […]

Labor endorsed in Ward 2, Tobolt ready to stand up for working families ‘on day one’

When a non-union electrical contractor was undermining area wages and benefits on a project funded by Ramsey County several years back, IBEW Local 110’s Brian Winkelaar didn’t think twice about what to do. He called Darren Tobolt, County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt’s longtime assistant. “I called him up and said, ‘Darren, how come they’re on this […]

Building Trades invited, but unwelcome at Bonfe’s job fair

Bonfe’s might want to consider a new recruiting strategy. For the second year in a row, the non-union mechanical and electrical contractor invited members of area Building Trades unions to attend an open house for prospective employees. And just like last year, Bonfe’s recruiters spent most of the open house trying to keep union members […]