A Message From Louis J. Coletti, President of the Building Trades Employer’s Association

The Building Trades Employers’ Association has launched a campaign to inform Rank and File Building Trade Union members and the public about the need to reduce costs that will protect union construction jobs.

The campaign, “Build Union Jobs,” will consist of subway advertisements, a website and op-eds in the press and will outline how the number of union construction jobs will keep shrinking unless union work becomes more economically competitive. Subway ads are running from March 7th to April 11th, 2011.

Union construction workers are experiencing over 30% unemployment.  At the same time, market share of non-union construction continues to grow because it is 20-30% less expensive than union work.

The campaign intends to deliver the message that union contractors and labor unions need to:

    •    Work Together
    •    Face The Facts As They Are, Not as They Would Like Them To Be
    •    Embrace Change That Will Result In Reducing Union Construction Costs

The campaign coincides with 30 union contracts set to expire June 30, 2011.  

We urge you to go to the website, www.buildunionjobs.com, and give us your feedback on this effort.