NABTU Visits Milwaukee on Opportunity Pipeline Road Tour

NABTU, TradesFutures, empowHER, Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council, Barrett Lo Visionary Development, government officials and others were hosted by IBEW 494 for a press conference to discuss NABTU's investment in a child care pilot program, only the second in the nation. empowHER members and representative Gwen Moore spoke about their struggles with child care and how this program is the start of real change around child care issues in the construction industry.

NABTU and the AFL-CIO HIT Fund visited the Couture project see the site's progress and to tout the historic union pension fund investment. This project is a shining example of how industry partners can work together to employ local union labor with family supporting wages and benefits, create a pilot child care and reach workforce goals of 40% RPP workers and 25% DBE businesses.

Building Advantage is proud to work in union commercial construction with organizations committed to creating positive change for our industry and our community.

Additional Press from NABTU's visit

• Biz Times - Leaders celebrate Couture’s progress, workforce development
• The Daily Reporter - Labor organizations, elected officials paint diverse picture of future infrastructure workforce
• The Daily Reporter - Rising Couture represents Milwaukee on the upswing
• WISN 12 News - Inside look at Milwaukee's newest skyscraper: The Couture

Unions are Part of the Affordable Housing Solution

With people throughout southeast Wisconsin increasingly unable to afford housing, the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) Fund shows how Union pension funds and public investments can be catalysts for development, affordable housing, and workforce growth.

Expanding the amount of affordable housing presents one of today’s biggest challenges for multifamily developers, elected officials, and our communities. To address the complex process of putting together the “capital stack” necessary to grow the inventory, unconventional alternatives are needed. Some are emerging, others are established tools, but what we’re sure of is that all call for immediate attention from stakeholders.

NLRB Issues New Framework for Union Representation Proceedings

The National Labor Relations Board issued a decision for a new framework for determining when employers are required to bargain with unions without a representation election. The revised framework better allows for employees’ right to bargain through their chosen representative, while acknowledging that employers have the option to invoke the statutory provision allowing them to pursue a Board election. When employers pursue this option, the new standard will promote a fair election environment by more effectively disincentivizing employers from committing unfair labor practices.

Treasury & IRS Propose Increased Energy Credit for PWA Requirements

The Treasury Department and IRS proposed regulations to increase tax credit or deduction amounts for clean energy facilities and projects if taxpayers satisfy prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship (PWA) requirements.

The proposed regulations would help taxpayers intending to claim or transfer increased credit or deduction amounts. The regulations would also provide guidance for taxpayers that initially fail to satisfy the PWA requirements but seek to cure the failure by complying with certain correction and penalty procedures. The proposed regulations would provide rules concerning specific PWA recordkeeping and reporting requirements.

OSHA Third-Party Representative Proposed Rule Released

"OSHA is proposing to amend its Representatives of Employers and Employees regulation to clarify that the representative(s) authorized by employees may be an employee of the employer or a third party; such third-party employee representative(s) may accompany the OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) when they are reasonably necessary to aid in the inspection. OSHA is also proposing clarifications of the relevant knowledge, skills, or experience with hazards or conditions in the workplace or similar workplaces, or language skills of third-party representative(s) authorized by employees who may be reasonably necessary to the conduct of a CSHO's physical inspection of the workplace."

Save the Date for WRTP|BIG STEP's Annual Cheers to Careers Event

Join WRTP|BIG STEP and their industry partners on September 28th for a fun night of cocktails created and mixed exclusively by their amateur celebrity bartenders. Each unique cocktail is made to raise funds for WRTP | BIG STEP programming. Building Advantage is a proud partner of WRTP|BIG STEP and sponsor of Cheers to Careers.

IUPAT DC7 Trunk or Treat - Thursday, October 26th

IUPAT DC7 is hosting their annual Trunk or Treat on October 26th from 5:30pm-7:30pm at their Union Hall in Big Bend.

Decorate your trunk to hand out union made Halloween candy and win a prize or bring the family and do some trick or treating.

This event is open to all community members, community partners, contractors, other trades unions, union members, and local schools.

SAVE THE DATE

Building Advantage Career Fair

Thursday, November 2nd, 2023

Fiserv Forum | 9AM - 1PM

Join us in educating local high school students about the many different career opportunities within the commercial construction industry.

Thank you to our valued industry partners that are sponsoring our 2023 Career Fair!

There is still time to register and secure your booth at Fiserv Forum.

Have a company update you'd like us to share?

Email kconnell@buildingadvantage.org with the details.