Union construction work in Minnesota’s $16-billion construction industry pays better wages than non-union work for similar projects, but doesn’t significantly increase project costs, according to a new study, which reached many conclusions disputed by open-shop contractors.
“Minnesota’s unionized construction sector is no more costly than the non-union sector even though it produces higher wages, greater inequality, safer work sites and other things like less reliance on government assistance programs,” said Frank Manzo, director of the Midwest Economic Policy Institute, which co-authored the study.