Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Study on youth in construction focuses on safety and the best interest of the child; Highlights union construction career pathways and registered apprenticeships. On January 15, 2020, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) issued the report: Ensuring the Safety of Youth in ... View Article
Upon the Announcement of the Minnesota Senate DFL Clean Energy Caucus
Statement from Jessica Looman, Executive Director ________________________________________________________________________ On behalf of the 70,000 union construction professionals in the State of Minnesota, I want to congratulate the Minnesota Senate DFL Clean Energy Caucus for their focus on a responsible, practical, and meaningful approach to achieving our State’s clean energy future. The Minnesota State Building and ... View Article
Man accused of Exploiting Twin Cities Construction Workers Pleads Guilty to Labor Trafficking and Insurance Fraud
In the first big Minnesota case concerning wage theft and labor trafficking, Ricardo Batres was recently charged with recruiting and exploiting Twin Cities construction workers. Yesterday, one day before his trial, Batres pled guilty to two of three charges against him. “We are grateful that the legal system is holding those who commit wage theft and illegal trafficking of construction workers seriously,” said Jessica Looman, Executive ... View Article
Sitting in a Required College Class, Christian Realized he Missed his Summer Job
After Christian graduated from high school, he became a summer helper at a mechanical contracting company learning about and working on plumbing projects. As the summer came to an end, Christian got ready to go to college. Midway through his freshman year, sitting in a required class for graduation, he thought about the fact that he was paying to sit and learn. Working at the mechanical contractor, he was paid to learn. “I didn’t like book ... View Article
Laci Traded in Her Desk Job for Heavy Machinery
About 2 years ago, Laci realized she no longer found her desk job fulfilling. Wanting a new challenge, she stopped at her local workforce center in St. Charles to see if there were any interesting jobs for her. She learned that Operating Engineers run heavy machinery on highway and construction projects. Laci thought that becoming an Operating Engineer was just the type of challenge she was looking for. She wanted a chance to be outside ... View Article