Bill to Cut Unemployment Dies in WV House
On March 11th, the West Virginia Legislature adjourned at midnight after their annual 60-day session. At the end of the night, the bill to cut unemployment benefits had not been placed on an agenda, and therefore has officially died for the second year in a row. SB 59 would have cut unemployment compensation benefits from 26 to 12 weeks as well...
2022 WV General Election Brings Wins and Losses for Trades
The 2022 general election was the first race held following legislative redistricting, caused by the 2020 US Census, and the results show not much has changed for the Trades overall. While many labor-backed Democrats were defeated in their elections, including several incumbents, a number of trades-friendly Republicans gained seats in the House and Senate. In the House of Delegates, the breakdown...
Parkersburg-Marietta Trades Host Economic Development Reps at Training Sites
Last month, the Parkersburg-Marietta Building Trades hosted representatives of Wood County Economic Development Office (WCED) at craft apprenticeship training centers throughout the county. The meeting will lead to a partnership between WCED and the Trades for the purpose of jointly focusing on workforce development in the region. During the meeting, representatives Lindsey Piersol and Kate Marlow from WCED were taken to...
Trades Testify at Capitol on Associate Degrees for Apprenticeship Programs
On September 13, West Virginia State Building Trades representatives were invited to the state capitol to speak about the future for apprenticeship training programs in the state. One of the major topics of discussion was related to associate degrees for apprentices upon completion of their programs. WVSBT Government Relations Director George Capel and WV Carpenters Training Coordinator Everett Johnson attended the...
Trades, Schools, and Lawmakers Partner to Strengthen WV Workforce
For the first time ever, representatives from the West Virginia State Building and Construction Trades, West Virginia lawmakers, representatives from community and technical colleges, as well as members of state and local school boards met in Huntington at IBEW 317 to discuss potential partnerships in strengthening West Virginia’s workforce development. The meeting was held on October 4, along with a...
Trades Get Out the Vote
Senator Richard Lindsay speaks to a group of volunteers from various Charleston Building Trades crafts at the West Virginia State Building Trades headquarters in Charleston, West Virginia on Saturday, October 8. The volunteers knocked over 1,000 doors in Dunbar and Cross Lanes in a single day. This event is part of a larger, statewide effort by the trades to engage with...
WV State Building Trades Holds 2022 Convention
Last month on September 14, the West Virginia State Building and Construction Trades held their annual convention in Roanoke, WV at Stonewall State Park. More than 70 representatives from the Trades attended the event to conduct annual business, network, and hear from various speakers on industry issues. During the business meeting, ACT Director Steve White was honored for his 30 years...
Upper Ohio Valley Trades and Project BEST Hold Annual Career Fair
High school students visit craft exhibits at the 2022 Construction Job and Career Fair at the Wheeling Ice Rink on September 21. Over 500 students were in attendance from across the Ohio Valley. At the event, students had the opportunity to network with representatives from many different trades including electricians, iron workers, roofers, laborers, carpenters, plumbers & pipefitters, cement finishers, operating...
WV House Leaders Visit IUOE 132
Operating Engineers 132 Apprenticeship Training Coordinator Allen Nelson (right) gives a tour of the IUOE 132 training site to a delegation of WV House of Delegates leaders, led by Speaker Roger Hanshaw. Over the last two years, the Affiliated Construction Trades (ACT) has organized tours of apprenticeship training sites across the state to educate lawmakers and the general public about...
WV Selected as Site for Multi-Billion-Dollar Natural Gas Power Plant
Last month, energy company Competitive Power Ventures announced it had selected West Virginia as the state it would build a new natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant with carbon capture and storage. According to the company, the plant will produce about 1,800 MW of electricity, with an approximate investment of more than $3 billion dollars, and go into operation toward the...
IUPAT DC 53 to Provide Elevated Tank Training
The Painters District Council 53 is preparing to start renovating this tank (see picture), located at their apprenticeship site in Weston, to offer elevated tank training as a part of their apprenticeship program. The tank is the only elevated tank on-site at an apprenticeship training facility in the nation. Once the tank preparation is complete, IUPAT DC 53 plans to offer...
Union Firms Awarded Piling Contracts at Nucor Facility
Last month, union contractors Beaver Construction and Goettle were each awarded a contract for piling work at the Nucor Steel site in Mason County, West Virginia. The contract awards are the first major construction contracts won by union firms since the announcement of the Nucor deal late last year. “We are pleased Nucor has chosen these top-quality union contractors, who hire...
Trades Participate in 2022 Labor Day Events
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 141 member Art Oakland (left) and Business Manager Tom Conner (right) march in the Paden City Labor Day Parade in Paden City, West Virginia. The Paden City parade is one of the longest running Labor Day events held in West Virginia. IBEW 141 is one of many groups from the WV State Building and Construction Trades...
WVSBT Endorsement Process Description
The WVSBT endorsement process is based on work related issues like restoring prevailing wage, workplace safety, enforcing and strengthening licensing laws, opposing so-called Right-to-Work, and other issues important to the Trades. WVSBT participates in the WV AFL-CIO Committee On Political Education (COPE) process of candidate questionnaires and interviews. However, there are times when the Trades do not agree with the...
WV Pipe Trades Hold 2022 Convention
WV State Pipe Trades Financial Secretary Eddie D’Aquila (podium) speaks to members of the West Virginia Pipe Trades at their annual convention in Roanoke, WV as WV Pipe Trades President Bryan Raber (right) looks on. 56 members of the Plumbing and Pipefitting industry gathered at the event to discuss industry issues such as: work and manpower across the US, potential...
