Labor Allies Highlight Victories for Working People & Organizing Opportunities
BAC delegates heard from the heads of two of the largest labor groups in North America today, the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the North American Building Trades Unions (NATBU).
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler fired up Convention delegates and guests, highlighting organizing victories and opportunities, and looking ahead to the mid-term elections. Emphasizing the current high approval rating of unions and organizing momentum – citing recent BAC organizing victories – she expressed that, “Organizing has to be our number one priority. It has to be at the heart of everything we do.”
President Shuler went on to speak about the importance of recruiting women, people of color, immigrants, and young people. “Organizing and recruiting new people is how we can change and shape the future of our workforce,” she remarked. She also talked about the AFL-CIO’s partnership with the Chris Gardner Foundation to launch the Permission to Dream program, which connects young people from underserved communities to union apprenticeship programs.
Lastly, President Shuler highlighted recent legislation that supports working people, including the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure Bill, CHIPS bill, and American Rescue Plan. As the mid-term elections approach, she emphasized the need to talk to union members about the issues that they care about and get them to the polls. President Shuler reiterated, “It all goes back to organizing – building power for workers collectively is what re-balances the scales, whether that’s at the workplace or at the ballot box.”
NABTU President Sean McGarvey addressed the Convention in the afternoon. He discussed how while the last several years have brought unprecedented challenges, they have also led to an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate the true value of the building trades throughout North America. He outlined accomplishments of the pro-worker Administrations in both the United States and Canada, which prioritize workers and their families.
President McGarvey also discussed NABTU’s Childcare Pilot Programs to support young parents entering the trades, and applauded BAC for the implementation of IMI/IMTEF’s paid maternity leave and childcare benefits.
In addition, he also talked about the building trades’ expansion of apprenticeship readiness programs, including TradesFutures, a new 501(c)(3) organization to expand recruitment and retention programs; President McGarvey also echoed President Shuler’s excitement about the Permission to Dream Partnership pilot program. “Pathways to apprenticeship for traditionally underrepresented communities not only expands North America’s workforce of the most highly-skilled and safest craftspeople in the world, but it also ensures communities and local economies are strengthened,” President McGarvey explained.
Finally, President McGarvey reiterated the importance of organizing non-union workers and contractors. “It is a great time to be a union, a union member, and a union contractor. We have created the opportunity of a lifetime and we have built the relationships needed to capitalize on public and private opportunities, but there is a responsibility on our side as well,” President McGarvey stated. “We can and must seize this moment. We must build communities and build LIVES through the middle class, family-sustaining careers that our unions offer.”