Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council

06/05/2026

05/18/2026

It is with heavy hearts that the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council releases this statement mourning the loss of our dear friend and union brother Representative Michael V. Nelson. Long before he was an elected official, Mike was active in his union as a carpenter, locksmith, and local union official.

Few elected officials have had the kind of impact on working people that Representative Nelson did. Mike was never one who looked for the spotlight, but he was nonetheless a leading advocate and author for laws that have kept workers safer, strengthened workplace rights, and created tens of thousands of construction jobs.

He pioneered the ongoing work to fight worker misclassification in Minnesota, was a staunch advocate for and defender of prevailing wage laws and fought for jobs for construction workers during the Great Recession when our members were facing 40% unemployment. His 2023 omnibus labor bill is the single most pro-worker piece of legislation ever passed in Minnesota.

There is no doubt that his work has left a meaningful mark on this state. Because of Representative Mike Nelson, workers today are safer, make better wages, face lower barriers to unionization, and have higher standards of living.

The Building Trades sends its condolences today to his wife Kathleen and his family, as well as to his union brothers and sisters in Carpenters Local 322.

Sincerely,

Tom Dicklich
Executive Director
Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council

05/11/2026

A major win for construction workers and fair contractors across Minnesota.

The MN Department of Labor & Industry recovered $1.28 million in back wages and damages after uncovering widespread wage theft across 19 Twin Cities job sites—including Viking Lakes. 26 workers were denied overtime and earned wages, with many shorted tens of thousands of dollars.

This is the largest wage recovery in DLI history and it sends a clear message: wage theft won’t be tolerated.

For the Building & Construction Trades Council, this is exactly why we fight for accountability, fair pay, and a level playing field for contractors who do the right thing.

Strong enforcement protects workers and strengthens our industry.

DLI has recovered more than $1.28 million for construction workers after finding widespread overtime and wage violations on multiple construction projects across the Twin Cities. Read the complete news release: https://dli.mn.gov/news/dli-recovers-128-million-back-wages-and-liquidated-damages-construction-workers

04/29/2026

Brothers and Sisters,

On this Workers Memorial Day, we ask you to carry this with you:

Look out for the person next to you.
Speak up when something isn’t right.
Take the extra minute—the extra step—that could save a life.

Because someday, without even knowing it…

you might.

03/04/2026

Minnesota's skilled trades have the talent, and now, we have the project to match.

Google’s massive investment in Hermantown is a powerful vote of confidence in Minnesota’s union workforce. This multi-year build will keep Minnesotans working right here at home with the high-paying careers that sustain our communities. From the first shovel in the ground to long-term operations, this is a win for our state as a whole. When we say yes to development, we say yes to growth that improves economic opportunity for us all.

Hear from Jobs for Minnesotans, state and local MN Building & Construction Trades Council, and more: https://jobsforminnesotans.org/bulletins/google-announces-data-center/

02/27/2026

🚧 Take Action: Tell Legislators to Pass a Strong Bonding Bill 🚧

Minnesota’s construction workforce is ready to build — but projects can’t move forward without sustained, predictable capital investment.

A strong bonding bill will:

✅ Modernize higher education facilities through HEAPR
✅ Advance critical vertical construction projects
✅ Maintain roads, bridges, and transit systems
✅ Support thousands of family-supporting construction careers

When bonding is delayed, projects stall and our communities and workforce feel the impact.

👉 Take 30 seconds right now to send a message to your legislators urging them to pass a strong, jobs-focused bonding bill.

Your voice matters. Let’s make sure lawmakers hear from the people who build Minnesota. 💪🏗️

Across our state there are roads, bridges, and public buildings in need of upgrades and repair. We also have highly skilled union tradespeople ready to do the work and spend their union wages in communities throughout our state. Minnesota has one of the highest credit ratings in the nation and that....

02/26/2026

Being able to provide jobs for our union members is important to us.

Duluth has always powered American industry. Now, data centers may help write the city’s next chapter. 🔋

From union construction jobs to long-term economic ripple effects, this Duluth News Tribune column from Derrick Atkins, Executive Director of the Twin Ports Arrowhead Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, dives into why technology investment could strengthen the region without leaving residents behind.

Read here: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/columns/local-view-data-centers-represent-powerful-path-forward

01/30/2026

January 30, 2026
The Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council and our affiliated unions represent 77,000 Minnesotans of all walks of life and political persuasions. We have watched while the presence of ICE in our communities has created disruption and fear, wreaking havoc on our state, our industry, and the lives of many of our members.

The actions and chaos created by ICE is directly impacting Minnesota’s construction industry. We have heard numerous stories of union members having their constitutional rights violated, despite being American citizens or legal residents. We see members hesitant to go to work or participate in our communities for fear of their safety and the safety of their families. There is also the very real potential for investments to dry up based on the market instability this is causing in the state.

If ICE and the Department of Homeland Security were truly invested in helping American workers and creating a fair playing field, their enforcement focus would be directed to the many unscrupulous construction employers that take advantage of immigrant labor by paying substandard wages in cash or off-the-books. These employers cheat their workers, their competitors, and taxpayers, and they make up a sizeable portion of the industry. Unfortunately, this is not advancing justice or fairness – it is about creating chaos and fear.

We are relieved that things appear to be calming down, but we also know that the fight is not over. We stand in solidarity with every worker on every job site, and so we call on state and federal leaders to work together and return Minnesota to a place where workers’ rights are respected and protected, communities are safe, and our industry can thrive.

01/27/2026

NABTU joins the entire labor movement and communities across North America in mourning the tragic death of our union brother, Alex Jeffrey Pretti.