Springfield, MA – At its 105th Annual Convention, Massachusetts Building Trades Unions (MBTU) unveiled its 2024 agenda to elevate the interests of more than 75,000 union construction workers across the Commonwealth. The two-day convention was held at MGM in Springfield on March 11-12.
“It’s great to be back with the Massachusetts Building Trades Union for their annual convention. As the proud daughter of union members, I know that organized labor is a critical partner in our efforts to make Massachusetts more affordable, competitive, and equitable. It’s essential that they have a seat at the table when decisions are being made that impact their members and all working people,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey.
Governor Maura Healey
“The need for fairness in wages, safety in workplaces, and security in retirement is more pressing than ever for working people across Massachusetts,” said MBTU president, Frank Callahan. “Our unions have steadfastly championed these fundamental rights for over a century. Together, we will strengthen the middle class by expanding access to the union way of life for all and electing pro-union leaders like President Biden.”
The convention previewed MBTU’s priorities for this year, including strengthening wages and benefits in the construction industry, combating wage theft, increasing the use of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), providing more career paths for women and people of color, and increasing registered apprentice participation on job sites.
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Frank Callahan
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, State Senator Adam Gomez, and State Representative Carlos González joined Pioneer Valley Building Trades Council President Colton Andrews in welcoming building trades delegates to Western Massachusetts. Other convention speakers included Healey, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Callahan, Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Chrissy Lynch, Massachusetts Secretary of Labor & Workforce Development Lauren Jones, Kevin Brousseau of Massachusetts AFL-CIO, State Senator Paul Mark, and State Representative Marjorie Decker.
The convention’s venue, MGM Springfield, was a $960 million project completed in 2018 under a PLA. Representatives of MBTU say that more than 500 of the construction workers were from Hampden County, creating local jobs, meeting diversity goals and boosting the local economy, and that the project stands as a groundbreaking achievement for union labor and proof of the importance of PLAs for construction projects.
