The number of Americans who are union members increased by slightly more than 400,000 in 2025 compared to the previous year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual union membership report, the number of workers belonging to unions was 14.6 million in 2025, compared to 14.2 million the prior year.
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Despite a January blast of arctic air and more than a foot of snow in many parts of Ohio, outside construction work carried on for numerous journeymen and apprentices. In the wake of the massive storm that created havoc for a large swath of the U.S., much of Ohio has only recently started to recover from the piles of snow and freezing temperatures that dipped below zero in some areas.
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After a roughly 20-year hiatus, the World of Concrete Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association Apprenticeship Competition returned, and Cement Masons Local 404 apprentice Jarrison Moore took home the title. Moore, 23, a fourth-year apprentice from Burbank, topped the 16-apprentice field during the competition, held during World of Concrete 2026 in Las Vegas from Jan. 19-23.
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Last December, regional building trades leaders from across Ohio spoke to The Labor Citizen and offered their thoughts on how 2025 would unfold within their jurisdiction.
For most, they expressed cautious optimism for the upcoming year, despite many unknown factors – including political and financial. Nearly a year later, The Labor Citizen was able to speak with three of those regional building trades leaders to see how the year actually turned out for their members. In all cases, the outcome was as good, or better than anticipated.
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Work began last month on the first phase of the $1.6 billion Cleveland Hopkins International Airport renovation project called CLEvolution. All work being performed at Hopkins will take place under a Project Labor Agreement with theCleveland Building and Construction Trades Council. The entire project is expected to create about 1,500 to 1,800 jobs for affiliated Cleveland Building Trades members, according to Dave Wondolowski, CBCTC Secretary/Business Manager.
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Journeymen, apprentices and contractors from the Northeast Ohio union construction industry gathered at Cleveland Browns Stadium for the annual event honoring the region’s best. The annual Building Excellence and Craftsmanship Awards was held on Aug. 21 to honor those who built and re-built the region.
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Thanks to a late rally, IBEW Local 38 took home its fifth straight division “A” title in the 43rd Cleveland Building Trades Softball Tournament with a 17-16 victory over Laborers Local 310. In the “B” division, Elevator Constructors Local 17 made a valiant run, but came up short against Steelworkers Local 979 A by a 16-6 score in the Championship game.
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Learn about the Trades to Title Program. This is a new path designed specifically for union tradespeople to move into building wealth through homeownership. You don’t need to be a builder or a real estate expert, just ready to take the next step.
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The August 2025 edition of The Labor Citizen should look and feel a little different, as a result of contracting with a different printing facility. In March 2025, the owners of the Canton Repository Press sent notice that after July 2025, they would no longer print the monthly pro-labor publication. No reason was provided with the termination notice. Eventually, Labor Citizen staff determined Canton would be printing numerous additional publications owned by the Gannett Co., following the closure of a printing facility outside Detroit, Mich. This ended a working relationship that went back decades, possibly longer. No one currently affiliated with The Labor Citizen has ever worked with any other printer.
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Cleveland’s Major League Baseball stadium on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario has a fresh look and new amenities for fans. Affiliated members of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council recently completed Phase II renovations of Progressive Field. When it came to the contractor side, the project nearly doubled its target of female owned businesses, which represented about 15 percent participation. They also met the goal for Hispanic-owned business (3 percent) and nearly hit the mark for minority-owned business.
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Letters requesting support for the Huntington Bank Field and Mixed use development in Brook Park were sent today to Governor Mike DeWine, and Ohio Legislators, McColley, Huffman, Cirino and Stewart.
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To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, officials announced a multiphase renovation project that will invest about $1.6 billion into the aging structure to improve parking and expand the current terminal.
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The Port of Cleveland's Board of Directors today elected David Wondolowski as the new Chair of the Board, alongside J. Stefan Holmes as Vice Chair and Peggy Zone Fisher as Secretary/Fiscal Officer.
Read MoreThe percentage of Americans who are union members remained relatively steady in 2024 compared to the previous year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' annual union density report, union membership in the U.S. slipped by 169,000 in 2024 to 14.25 million. This represents a 0.1 percent decrease in the total number of union members in America.
Read MoreA recent procedural change was implemented to speed up the claims process for Unemployment Compensation in Ohio. While shorter delay periods for members of the building trades to receive their benefits is possible, it is too early to make such a determination.
Since Jan. 1, the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services has used a new union verification process for initial claims.
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, mothers will be eligible for up to $800 per week of paid leave.LIUNA joins several other International building trades unions that offer paid maternity leave including the Bricklayers, Painters and Ironworkers.
Read MoreWith the year coming to an end, multiple regional building trades councils in Ohio held December networking events to cap off what has been a busy year. Among those in attendance at the events were building trades council leaders, including affiliated business managers and agents, area politicians, contractors and vendors, who gathered to discuss a variety of topics like the results of the November election, the busy 2024 construction season, how interest rates will affect the industry and what is expected to be another busy year in 2025.
Read MoreIn the midst of a “red wave” crossing most of the nation on election night that generated concern about the impact it will have on unions across America, Ohio voters elected a building trades supermajority in the Ohio State House.
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