Looking back at 2025 work predictions

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.

Local 38 volunteers light up Public Square for the holidays

CommunityCBCTC GenDecember 1, 2025IBEW Local 38, Christmas Lights, Holiday, Public Square

Cleveland airport work begins : $1.6 billion megaproject under a PLA

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.

Craftsmanship Awards honor Ohio’s best

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.

Late rally propels IBEW Local 38

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.

Turning Your Craft Into Your Castle

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.

Community, Education, EventsCBCTC GenAugust 18, 2025workshop, mortgage, loan program, American Pacific Mortgage

New printer forces changes to Labor Citizen

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.

Area Trades Finish Progressive Field Improvements

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.

Ohio Legislators urged to support transformational project proposal in Northeast Ohio

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.

Cleveland Airport to get $1.6 billion makeover: Work will be covered under a PLA

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.

Cleveland apprenticeship fair relocates to larger venue

Education, Construction Issues, CommunityCBCTC GenMarch 21, 2025apprenticeship fair, apprentice, Dave Wondolowski, Women in Construction, tradeswomen committee

Port Board Elects New Officers

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.

U.S. union membership remained steady in 2024; Ohio loses 20,000 union members

The 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.

Union verification process changes for Unemployment claims

A 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.

Laborers offer paid maternity leave in 2025

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.

Networking events cap off busy year in Ohio

With 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.

Building trades supermajority elected to Statehouse

In 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.

10 Ohio regional Building and Construction Trades Councils, others, earn 40 Zero Injury Safety Awards

More than two-thirds of Ohio’s Building and Construction Trades Councils and one District Council were recognized during the 24th Annual Zero Injury Safety Awards (ZISA) ceremony. The nation’s building trades and members of the union construction industry gathered at Dar Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 17, 2024 to honor the trades, contractors and project owners who achieved zero injuries on their industrial construction and maintenance projects during the previous calendar year.

IBEW Local 38 Christmas lights 2024

A group of IBEW Local 38 members and their families felt a sense of joy and goodwill as they volunteered their time on a recent Saturday morning to decorate downtown Cleveland’s Public Square for the upcoming Christmas season. On Oct. 19, members of Local 38 used their electrical skills to transform Cleveland’s Public Square into a dazzling winter wonderland of holiday lights.

Community, EventsCBCTC GenOctober 21, 2024Christmas Lights, IBEW Local 38, Public Square, Mike Muzic, Volunteers, Winterland

IBEW Local 38 takes 4th straight softball title

Local 38 - IBEW Local 38 defeated Plumbers Local 55 in the "A" Division championship game to claim their fourth consecutive Cleveland Building Trades Softball Tournament title.

Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council Blog