Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council

06/24/2026

UA Local 455 member Clara Schiller threw out the first pitch at tonight’s twins game in epic fashion while wearing her welding helmet.

Here’s her introductory bio:

Ladies & Gentlemen:
The Minnesota Twins welcome one of our largest groups of the year this evening with over 1,000 attendees for their ANNUAL MINNEAPOLIS BUILDING TRADES NIGHT AT TARGET FIELD event.

Representing the BUILDING TRADES is CLARA SCHILLER, proud member of Steamfitters Local 455 for the past 13 years! Clara is a certified welder and is most proud of becoming an instructor for the Steamfitters apprenticeship program, helping guide and mentor the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

Clara resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and is a proud member of the Henry and Schiller families. In addition to her work in the trades, Clara serves as a board member of Women Building Success and is actively involved with the Art Shanty Projects, Southside Battletrain, and the IAMA blacksmithing program.

Congratulations Clara on your dedication to your Local Union, your community involvement, and your commitment to helping others on behalf of the Minnesota Building Trades!

… And now . . . IT’S YOUR PITCH!

06/23/2026

Tonight is our annual ‘Trades Night at Target Field’.

We are keeping an eye on the weather so check back for updates.

Pre game picnic at 4:30 at North Loop Green

1st pitch is at 6:40 and we are leading ‘Take me out to the ballgame’ during the 7th inning stretch.

We hope to see you here!

06/22/2026

Today, we stand in solidarity with the workers of Local 17 as they take part in a one-day strike for better pay and better working conditions.

These workers help keep our venues, events, and communities running, and like all people, they deserve respect, fair treatment, and a strong voice on the job.

And tomorrow night, we hope you'll join us for Trades Night at the Twins game. We know the forecast is calling for rain, but we're planning to move forward and will share any updates right here if conditions change.

Solidarity means showing up for one another. Tonight for Local 17, and tomorrow for our union trades community.

06/16/2026

Hundreds of labor leaders from across the country gathered in Minneapolis last week and unanimously approved a vision for responsible data center development.

That means strong labor standards, environmental protections, community accountability, and pathways into family-sustaining union careers.

Minnesota doesn't have to choose between economic growth and responsible development. We can do both.

Read Dan McConnell's latest op-ed:

The labor movement’s position is straightforward: Data centers should be built, operated, secured and maintained with union labor, Dan McConnell writes.

05/26/2026

Business manager, Dan McConnell, shared a statement on data centers with Kare 11 on Friday. Watch the video here: https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/there-are-60-data-centers-in-minnesota-a-moratorium-will-pause-some-new-ones-in-minneapolis/89-f340f4cf-e8d8-4061-a519-10e1b0152c8c

“The Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council appreciates the thoughtful discussion the City Council had last Friday around data center development and infrastructure impacts.

While we do not believe a moratorium is necessary to accomplish the city’s goals, we recognize the council’s effort to minimize unintended harms by limiting the policy to six months and exempting the downtown core.

Friday's debate showed there is broad interest in making sure development is done responsibly, while also recognizing the importance of downtown reinvestment, adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings, expanded public revenues, and high-quality union construction careers.

We remain committed to working collaboratively with the council and stakeholders to address infrastructure and energy concerns without unnecessarily obstructing responsible investment in Minneapolis.” — Dan McConnell

Minneapolis is one of several cities enacting moratoriums, resulting in a fragmented patchwork of zoning rules.

05/21/2026

Today, the Minneapolis City Council approved a temporary data center moratorium after significant discussion and amendments.

The Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council continues to believe a moratorium is not necessary to achieve the city’s goals. However, we appreciate the council’s efforts to reduce unintended consequences by limiting the policy to six months and exempting the downtown core.

Today’s discussion reflected a shared interest in making sure development is done responsibly while also recognizing the importance of downtown reinvestment, adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings, expanded public revenues, and family-sustaining union construction careers.

We remain committed to working collaboratively with the City Council and community stakeholders to address infrastructure and energy concerns while continuing to support responsible investment in Minneapolis.

05/21/2026

The Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council is urging the City Council to reject proposed data center moratorium policies in Minneapolis.

We believe a moratorium would limit responsible redevelopment opportunities at a critical time for downtown reinvestment, economic recovery, and family-sustaining union construction careers.

In Minneapolis, many of these projects involve the adaptive reuse and modernization of vacant or underutilized commercial buildings. With strong labor standards, responsible environmental protections, utility coordination, and community benefit expectations, these projects can support both economic growth and accountability.

Energy use, infrastructure impacts, and residential electric rates deserve serious attention — and we believe Minneapolis can address those concerns through thoughtful policy and enforceable standards while continuing to support responsible investment in the city’s future.

Read more about the decision being made today here: https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2026/05/21/minneapolis-data-center-moratorium

05/18/2026

Mike Nelson was a proud member of Carpenters Local 851 and a longtime Delegate to the Minneapolis Building Trades Council. He worked for Minneapolis Public Housing before serving as a representative for the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters, and later represented his community in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2003 to 2024.

Mike was one of the most approachable, genuine, and down-to-earth public servants you could meet. He never forgot where he came from or who he represented. His leadership, friendship, and commitment to working people will be deeply missed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all those grieving his loss.

It is with heavy hearts that the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council releases this statement mourning the loss of our dear friend and union brother Representative Michael V. Nelson. Long before he was an elected official, Mike was active in his union as a carpenter, locksmith, and local union official.

Few elected officials have had the kind of impact on working people that Representative Nelson did. Mike was never one who looked for the spotlight, but he was nonetheless a leading advocate and author for laws that have kept workers safer, strengthened workplace rights, and created tens of thousands of construction jobs.

He pioneered the ongoing work to fight worker misclassification in Minnesota, was a staunch advocate for and defender of prevailing wage laws and fought for jobs for construction workers during the Great Recession when our members were facing 40% unemployment. His 2023 omnibus labor bill is the single most pro-worker piece of legislation ever passed in Minnesota.

There is no doubt that his work has left a meaningful mark on this state. Because of Representative Mike Nelson, workers today are safer, make better wages, face lower barriers to unionization, and have higher standards of living.

The Building Trades sends its condolences today to his wife Kathleen and his family, as well as to his union brothers and sisters in Carpenters Local 322.

Sincerely,

Tom Dicklich
Executive Director
Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council