North America's Building Trades Unions

North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) is a labor federation of 14 North American unions in the building trade, founded by the American Federation of Labor in 1907.

NABTU
Full nameNorth America's Building Trades Unions
Founded11 November 1907 (1907-11-11)
Members14 (affiliated unions, 2018)[1]
Head unionSean McGarvey (president)[2]
Office location815 16th Street, N.W. 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006
CountryUnited States, Canada
Websitenabtu.org

History

North America's Building Trades Unions was founded by the American Federation of Labor (AFL) at its November 1907 Convention in Norfolk, Virginia as a Department of Building Trades.[3]:1 In 1937, its name was changed to Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL–CIO.[3]:2

Affiliates

North America's Building Trades Unions is a labor federation of 14 North American unions in the building trade.[4] affiliates are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Teamsters), International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC), International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association (OPCMIA), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), United Association – Union of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders and Service Techs (UA), United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers (Union Roofers), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (Boilermakers), International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (Insulators), International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IW) and The Canadian Building Trades Unions (CBTU)[5]

NABTU has labor management committees with workers in the biopharmaceutical industry, the oil and natural gas industries and the U.S. chemical industry.[6]

Organization

The federation is organized in state, provincial and local councils. As of 2015, its funding consisted of an initiation fee, a per capita tax of 70 cents per member per month, an annual levy, agreements negotiated, sale of supplies and assessments.[3]:2

As of 2012 Sean McGarvey has been President and Brent Brooker Secretary-Treasurer of the NABTU.[2]

Purpose

The NABTU´s purpose is described in 13 sections as coordination, organization and formation of local councils, apprenticeship training, health and safety practices, dispute resolution and jurisdiction, engagement with industry, negotiations of wage and working conditions, legislative activity, research and public communications helping members to become elected officials. [3]:3–5

Political support

NABTU criticized President Obama´s 2015 initiative of a tax-funded apprenticeship program, saying it was already doing its own.[7]

In April 2016, NABTU and the presidents of eight building trade unions called on the AFL–CIO to cut its ties with environmentalist Tom Steyer, who founded NextGen America Climate Action, a super PAC to "prevent climate disaster and transition to clean energies", opposing fossil fuel pipelines.[8]

In April 2017, NABTU President McGarvey applauded Donald Trump’s plans for the Keystone Pipeline and other infrastructure projects, when Trump spoke at NABTU´s 2017 legislative convention.[9]

References
  1. US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-292. Report submitted September 27, 2018.
  2. Leadership, NABTU, n.d, retrieved 20 May 2017
  3. Constitution of NABTU August 2015, 46 pages
  4. About us, North America's Building Trades Unions NABTU website, n.d, retrieved 20 May 2017
  5. NABTU Affiliates NABTU, n.d, retrieved 20 May 2017
  6. Working with industry NABTU, n.d, retrieved 20 May 2017
  7. Dave Boyer Obama angers construction union with tax-funded apprenticeship program The Washington Times, November 2, 2015
  8. Matea Gold Building trade unions denounce labor partnership with billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer. Washington Post, May 16, 2016
  9. STEVEN GREENHOUSE The Unions That Like Trump NYT, APRIL 8, 2017

Official website

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