Senate Republicans block $1.9 billion infrastructure jobs proposal

Union tradespeople pleaded with Republicans not to hold up the package of local public-works projects as leverage in a political fight with the DFL majority.

Two from Plumbers Local 34 honored with nationwide ‘Heroes’ award

The St. Paul plumbers union has a pair of heroes in its apprenticeship pipeline. Twice in 2022, apprentices with Plumbers Local 34 have been named Tradeswomen Heroes by North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU). Each month the awards program recognizes four union trades-women, selected from across the country, for their work on and off the […]

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 […]

Unions’ pre-apprenticeship program puts more Minnesotans on path to construction careers

Thirty-five Minnesotans are a big step closer to family-sustaining careers in the unionized construction industry after graduating from the Building Strong Communities program last week. Elected officials, union leaders, employers and family members gathered for a ceremony May 5 at North Hennepin Community College to recognize graduates of the pre-apprenticeship program for women, veterans and […]

Roofers local’s new secretary-treasurer breaks ground as first woman elected to office

Samantha Schanus was among four Tradeswomen Heroes award winners named in July, the month she took office as Roofers Local 96’s new secretary-treasurer.

Outnumbered on the job site, tradeswomen find camaraderie, support via new ‘Lean In Circles’

Building Trades unions in the U.S. and Canada have launched a peer mentorship and training program to help tradeswomen thrive in an industry historically dominated by men. Lean In Circles for Union Tradeswomen, a partnership between unions and LeanIn.Org, brings tradeswomen together in small groups – virtual gatherings during the pandemic – to connect, share […]

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 […]

To open more eyes to apprenticeship, Carpenters open training center doors

Latesha Hayes’ career path came full circle this morning. A fourth-year apprentice with the Carpenters union, Hayes was one of six tradeswomen who led 33 eighth-grade girls from Roseville on a tour of the union’s St. Paul training center. The students put on hard hats and safety glasses, worked with tools of the trade and […]

Unions bring tradeswomen together with Minneapolis conference

Tradeswomen from across the U.S. and Canada are descending on the Twin Cities for the union-sponsored Tradeswomen Build Nations conference this weekend. In its ninth year, the annual event has grown to become the world’s largest gathering of women working in the skilled construction trades. Organizers expect this year’s conference, taking place at the Hilton […]