As the 2020 presidential election draws nearer, many Democratic hopefuls are beginning to seek construction unions’ support. Eight declared candidates made their pitches to members of the North America’s Building Trades Unions at the group’s legislative conference April 9-10 in Washington, D.C. Several promised a major infrastructure package of $1 trillion or more, which aligns with the trades’ legislative agenda. But many seeking endorsement will wrestle with balancing calls for a green economy and unions’ demand for traditional oil and gas sector jobs.
In his opening remarks, building trades President Sean McGarvey declared that an infrastructure bill is the group’s top legislative priority this year. He called for “a pathway to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure that decades of budget cuts have devastated,” including bridges, roads, transit systems, pipelines, energy and water facilities and schools.