Executive Director and Secretary/Treasurer of the Texas State Building and Construction Trades Council Thomas Kennedy joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed how joining a union can lift two generations out of poverty.
The Texas State Building and Construction Trades Council is comprised of more than 50 Local Unions affiliated with 15 International building trades unions.
Kennedy sits on the Advisory Board of Texas Climate Jobs Project and said there are numerous clean energy projects under construction within the state, which are being built by non-union workers who do not receive livable wages and benefits. He said this needs to change. He explained how joining a building traders union can lift two generations out of poverty by assuring workers receive good wages and benefits.
The discussion then turned to apprenticeship recruitment. As Samsung, Tesla and Texas Instruments begin to seek out bids for their mega projects, Texas building trades unions have ramped up their recruitment efforts to find the next generation of construction workers.
For more on Kennedy’s conversation, be sure to listen to the entire episode.