Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1095 Business Manager Matt Gonzales joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed efforts to promote union jobs through the Better Builder Program, which requires contractors to certify commitments to improved safety and higher payroll.
Local 1095 represents about 1,000 workers in central southwest Texas.
The Better Builder Program requires contractors to hire a specified percentage of local workers, pay a living wage, provide Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training and consent to independent jobsite monitoring to ensure workers are properly classified. The program has been adopted by the City of Austin and has resulted in a higher percentage of union jobs at higher wages, Gonzales said.
Gonzales also talked about efforts to recruit apprentices to meet the ongoing demand of Austin’s construction boom and the need to organize non-union workers. While Texas is a So-Called “Right to Work” state, he believes many workers were fed up with their pay and working conditions, and as a result, left their jobs during the Great Resignation. More workers are demanding dignified pay and better working conditions, he added.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics: