By mobilizing their members and tapping solidarity from the local labor movement, Building Trades unions won an unexpected fight over prevailing wage in West St. Paul.
Carpenters union’s tip leads to felony wage-theft charges
September 22, 2025 by
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi and law-enforcement leaders credited the local Carpenters union with playing a key role in their investigation of wage-theft allegations on a public housing site in St. Paul, which resulted in criminal charges filed Sept. 3. Choi’s office charged Jose Herrera, Carrie Gutbrod-Herrera and Joseph Herrera, owners of Bayvista Incorporated, with […]
Updated prevailing wage standards ‘a tremendous win’ for tradespeople
June 10, 2024 by
The Labor Department’s updated federal prevailing wage standards in Minnesota will ensure tradespeople working on the Biden administration’s historic infrastructure investments are paid fairly and consistently, union leaders say.
Dems’ climate measure ties tax credits to prevailing wage, apprenticeship
September 22, 2022 by
The tax credits will create a projected 9 million jobs building energy-efficient commercial buildings, housing and electric vehicle charging stations, as well as investments in energy sources outside of fossil fuels.
Report: Union construction sites draw fewer safety violations
December 13, 2021 by
In Minnesota, OSHA inspectors found 40% fewer violations per inspection on union worksites than they did on nonunion sites.
Leadership changes, but Trades’ focus remains on building careers, communities
July 22, 2021 by
A new president gaveled the 75th convention of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council to order at Madden’s on Gull Lake today, as delegates unanimously affirmed their Executive Board in electing Laborers Local 563 Business Manager Joe Fowler to lead the statewide organization. President Emeritus Harry Melander, who retired in June after […]
Senate GOP ousts MN labor commissioner, plays politics with worker health, safety
August 13, 2020 by
Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bill McCarthy called the party-line vote a “slap in the face to working Minnesotans.”
On right to work and prevailing wage, it’s Walz … or Wisconsin
October 24, 2018 by
“People will tell you, ‘I’m not into politics,’” Walz told tradespeople. “You tell them too damn bad because politics is into you.”
Workers trust Ellison to have their back as AG
October 11, 2018 by
Hostility toward unions has been a common thread running through Doug Wardlow’s career.
Trades praise agreement covering construction project in Forest Lake schools
January 12, 2016 by
A $140 million bonding initiative approved by voters in ISD 831 last fall will improve the security and structural integrity of buildings throughout the Forest Lake Area Schools. And thanks to a project labor agreement (PLA), the district’s investment will uphold area wage, benefit and safety standards as well. By a 7-0 vote, the Forest […]
Union Advocate 