Last Chance to Vote – Ballots Must Be Returned in Time for March 14 Count

This is your union and your voice and there is still time to vote in the election for BAC Local 23 offices.

The ballots must be delivered to the U.S. Post Office before the mail is picked up and opened on Friday morning, March 14, and the votes are counted.

Do you have a ballot? Please fill it out and mail it in.

If for some reason you have not received a ballot, or you need a duplicate ballot, then call 412.548.2140, the 24-hour message line, and the Election Administrator will mail you a ballot.

You still have time, but time is running out. Make sure your voice is heard and your vote counts.

The West Virginia State Building Trades Legislative Conference (WVSBTLC) was held in Charleston on Thursday, Feb. 27, and we wanted to give you an overview of what is going on in the Mountaineer State.

The political climate is one-sided. In the West Virginia House, there are 91 Republicans and 9 Democrats. In the West Virginia Senate, there are 32 Republicans and 2 Democrats.

During the conference, George Capel, Government Relations Director for the WVSBTLC pointed out the majority of support for the trades now comes from the West Virginia Republican Labor Caucus.

 In the past four years, the trades have helped to elect labor-friendly Republicans.

 Still, there are some lawmakers in West Virginia pushing an anti-labor agenda.

Our ultimate goal is to reinstate prevailing wage laws, but we need more labor-friendly lawmakers.

Capel said the three key issues are prioritizing local labor on construction projects, giving cities and counties more flexibility with the public bidding process, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are well-protected.

At the core, is the idea of “Local Jobs for Local Workers.”

At the conference, WV House Rep. Evan Worrell, thanked the trades for their support, and talked about sponsoring the STAND Bill, which would provide state assistance to earn an associate’s degree for workers who have completed an apprenticeship program.

Andy Walters, with the AFL-CIO, discussed national issues, including policies affecting federal employees, teachers and other workers.

Ross Maradian, from NABTU, talked about the $900 million hydrogen hub project in West Virginia that has received $30 million to get moving, but has been paused.

We face challenges in West Virginia, but we will remain vigilant and engaged, and we appreciated your attention to these issues that affect our paychecks and livelihoods.

We will not stop fighting and standing up for our members.

Stay tuned here for more information on the challenges and opportunities facing bricklayers and the trades in our four states.

Local 23 participates at the Internship & Apprenticeship Fair at the Columbus Main Library.