Too often, the only time lawmakers think seriously about rebuilding our nation's aging and crumbling infrastructure is after a disaster like the collapse of a bridge in Minneapolis or the destruction of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Then a few months later, the issue is pushed back to make way for less-expensive priorities.

Rising unemployment and health care costs, struggling schools and communities, broken levees and falling bridges – as the U.S. and Minnesota fail to invest in the future, the quality of life declines.

The University of Minnesota Labor Education Service is sponsoring a conference to analyze this problem – and discuss strategies for building a movement to reinvest.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced line item vetoes cutting $208 million from the $925 million bonding bill passed by the state Legislature, cuts that labor leaders say also vetoed jobs and opportunity. The bonding bill authorizes the state to borrow funds for capital improvements to public infrastructure throughout the state.

Dick Anfang, president of the Minnesota State Building & Construction Trades Council, said he was "very disappointed" in the governor's announced list of line-item vetoes. "This will negatively affect Minnesota's ability to come back from the recession," he said. "This negatively affects Building Trades workers from the northern border to the southern border and the eastern border to the western border."

 

Published by ­The Center for Construction Research and Training, "The Construction Chart Book," now in its fourth edition, marks the 10th year since it was first published in 1997. This fourth edition uses updated statistics to characterize the changing construction industry and its workers in the United States, monitor the impact of such changes on worker safety and health, and identify priorities for safety and health interventions in the future. It can ordered as a hard copy for $15, or it can be downloaded for free.

A federal appeals court’s ruling appears to have cleared the way for thousands of lawsuits filed against New York City and its contractors by ground zero workers to move closer to trial or settlement.

The proposed expansion of the Mall of America would create 7,000 union construction jobs for three years and, when completed, would yield a $1 billion increase in state sales tax revenues over 20 years, proponents say. For these reasons, they add, the state Legislature should act to approve public financing for the parking ramp proposed as part of the Mall of America's Phase II.

The meeting of the Construction Economics Research Network on December 5 and 6, 2007 addressed the role of immigrant workers in construction. The seminar opened with a presentation by Secretary-Treasurer Sean McGarvey on the Building and Construction Trades Department’s position on immigration legislation.The first panel provided demographic and social background on immigrants and where they worked within the construction sector. The second panel focused on measurement of the economic impact of immigrants on the construction industry. There were several other panel discussions over the two days. You can download several of the papers along with Power Point slides.

Even though it will be several months before residents see the main span of the new bridge put into place, the structure is already being created.

 

It's been a busier week than usual for us in the labor movement, making it impossible to spotlight any one event. So here are highlights: Global Union Summit, U.S. Corporations Export Anti-Unionism, No Justice at Bush's Labor Dept., Labor Board Overboard.

Global trade unionists on Tuesday attacked what they called the U.S. export of anti-union attitudes, while congressional Democrats pledged to examine recent Bush administration labor decisions.