Older Issues
The Building Tradesman Newspaper Editions
Minimum wage, maximum politics: $9.20 per-hour wage coming to Michigan
Date: Jun-06-2014
LANSING – Michigan’s minimum wage will rise from $7.40 per hour to $9.20 by 2017, in bipartisan, compromise legislation signed by Gov. Rick Snyder on May 27. The statewide minimum...
Minimum wage petition drive now a wasted effort - or is it?
Date: Jun-06-2014
LANSING – While workers in Michigan enjoyed some rare good news with the passage of a higher statewide minimum wage, the legislative process revealed a bare-knuckled GOP political move that...
News Briefs
Date: Jun-06-2014
New Soo Lockproposal takes hit Hopes for the construction of a backup lock for the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie took on some water last month, when it was...
Road to recovery? Michigan goes from zero to $1.7 billion in proposed construction
Date: Jun-06-2014
LANSING – Half a billion… $1.3 billion… do we hear $1.7 billion? So far, we have only heard talk, but it sounds as if the Michigan Legislature is finally starting...
The Gangbox: Assorted News and Notes
Date: Jun-06-2014
Architects optimistic. One of the early indicators for the health of the nation’s construction industry is the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), which has reverted into negative territory for the last two...
Trades set stage for revamped Binda Theatre at Kellogg CC
Date: Jun-06-2014
BATTLE CREEK – Established in 1956, Kellogg Community College has a mature campus and like any other upper education facility, a need to stay competitive with other schools. That’s why...
Apprenticeship contest brings out the best in UA training
Date: May-23-2014
KALAMAZOO – Michigan’s top pipe trades apprentices turned in their best efforts in welding, plumbing, HVAC service and pipefitting May 1-2 during the annual statewide apprenticeship contest. Held this year...
Boilermakers welcome high schoolers for competition and maybe a future in the trade
Date: May-23-2014
ALLEN PARK – Forty two vocational education students from 12 Michigan schools descended on the training facility at Boilermakers Local 169 on May 2, participating in the 11th annual High...
Good start, it seems, for pension reform
Date: May-23-2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Talks in Congress on how to fix the financial mess involving the nation’s multiemployer pension plans are well under way. There’s not much to report on formal...
Home builders pretend there's a labor shortage Can't imagine why...
Date: May-23-2014
It’s five o’clock somewhere. And maybe there’s a construction worker shortage, too, somewhere. But it’s not significant in the U.S., and it’s not very widespread. That’s the word from the...