July 2020 Newsletter

Minnesota State Building Trades Council

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COVID–19: Construction Contractors To Have Preparedness Plans

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Building Trades are committed to the safety of construction workers and to continuing to provide critical construction services.

Effective June 29, 2020, all critical industries, including construction, must develop and implement COVID-19 Preparedness Plans. Under the Governor's Executive Order, these plans must comply with industry guidance posted on the Stay Safe Minnesota website .

Resources:

Department of Labor and Industry's (DLI) most recent COVID-19 Preparedness Plan Guidance on June 25, 2020 is here.
State developed template for creating a COVID Preparedness Plan is here.
DLI is offering webinars on July 1 and July 2, 2020 on construction industry guidance. More information and registration information is here.
A State Building Trades COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan check list is here.

The Minnesota Building Trades COVID-19 resource webpage includes additional information and links for Building Trades union, members, construction contractors and construction industry stakeholders.

Strong Bonding Bill Will Help Minnesota Recover

The Building Trades calls for the legislature to pass a strong state bonding package in July 2020 to keep Minnesota’s construction industry working. While the legislature adjourned both its regular session and the June special session without agreement on a bonding bill, the Building Trades continues to advocate for a strong bonding bill to address the economic impacts of COVID–19 and serve as a community recovery plan for Minnesota.

On June 16, IBEW 292 Assistant Business Manager Jennifer Mudge spoke at a press conference with Governor Walz highlighting the administration's Local Jobs & Projects Plan, a $2 billion bonding proposal. Jennifer addressed the need for a strong bonding bill that invests in public capital improvement spending to help Minnesota's economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by providing good paying, high quality construction jobs.

The next six to eighteen months are crucial for the Minnesota construction industry: construction starts are down 46% in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area ( F&C ); over 19,000 construction workers claimed unemployment benefits in May, near the same rates as 2009; and while union membership remains steady, work hours are down for most trades. A strong bonding bill will help jumpstart the economy, provide construction jobs, and invest in needed public infrastructure.

Learn more about the Building Trades legislative priorities here .

Metropolitan Council Requires Prevailing Wages on Council Construction Projects

The Building Trades supports prevailing wages on all publicly funded construction projects and congratulates the Metropolitan Council on its new prevailing wage policy.

On June 24, 2020, the Metropolitan Council approved new procurement policies requiring payment of State prevailing wages to workers on Council construction and maintenance projects. The new policy goes into effect in August and applies to Council public works construction and maintenance projects that are let by sealed bids and design-build construction projects that are let by formal requests for proposals after public notice. The Met Council already required prevailing wage on federal and state funded projects like the Southwest Light Rail Transit Line.

Prevailing wages ensure construction workers have family sustaining wages, encourage safety and skills training and facilitate a more diverse and inclusive construction workforce. Local contractors are more likely to win bids on construction projects that include prevailing wages.

More information on prevailing wages can be found here .

Minnesota State Building and

Construction Trades Council

651-287-9999 | ContactMBT@mntrades.org

www.mntrades.org

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