Great Plains Laborers' District Council

What's New

President Obama stands up for workers' rights

May 04, 2012 (08:55:45)

President Barack Obama addressed the construction trades on April 9 in Washington D.C. Here are excerpts from his remarks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIJo0IrJYXY

Illinois Highway 23 re-named to honor fallen Laborer

Apr 24, 2012 (16:16:10)

LiUNA 393 members gathered at the Ottawa Illinois Department of Transportation office on April 24, 2012, to honor fallen Laborer John Crozier Jr. John was killed in a highway work zone in May 2003. The press conference marked the beginning of Work Zone Safety week on Illinois highways. John's sister spoke at the event, along with retired Local 393 business manager David Raikes. Photos are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/59632003@N07/sets/72157629528093616/

New Keystone pipeline route submitted to Nebraska

Apr 23, 2012 (08:54:55)

CALGARY, Alberta-TransCanada Corp. TRP +1.11%submitted a reroute of its Keystone XL oil pipeline to the Nebraska state government Wednesday, moving a step closer to reviving the project after it was rejected by the U.S. government earlier this year. The reroute will avoid an environmentally sensitive area in the U.S. Midwest state, and comes a day after Nebraska Gov Read More...

LiUNA "Greets" Wisconsin Governor Walker

Apr 18, 2012 (08:48:00)

April 17, thousands of Illinois union members converged on Springfield, Illinois, to "welcome" Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R), who was speaking to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. You can see photos in our photo gallery on on flickr at http://www.flickr Read More...

Keystone Pipeline bill advances in Nebraska

Apr 16, 2012 (08:54:47)

LINCOLN — State lawmakers gave resounding, 44-5 final approval Wednesday to a bill that seeks to restart a state review of the controversial Keystone XL crude oil pipeline. Legislative Bill 1161 now heads to Gov. Dave Heineman, who has said he will sign the measure into law. Two supporters, State Sens Read More...

Any hope for long-term transportation funding?

Apr 09, 2012 (09:06:53)

Transportation advocates are losing hope for passage of a highway bill before the election following Congress's decision this week to pass another short-term funding extension. Instead of approving the multi-year transportation bill that passed the Senate, lawmakers adopted a temporary extension of legislation that already funds road and transit projects Read More...

Roads & bridges need repair

Apr 06, 2012 (14:11:58)

LIUNA is appalled that the U.S. House of Representatives’ radical GOP wing has succeeded in derailing passage of a long-term Highway Bill that fully invests in America’s transportation systems and protects good jobs. After nearly three years of temporary extensions, another 90-day extension shows incompetence and dysfunction Read More...

LiUNA 353 golf tourney aids member

Apr 06, 2012 (11:29:21)

Laborers Local 353, Des Moines, is hosting their first "Golf Summer Classic" on June 21, to assist member Elias Ramos. Elias, a 353 member who works for Corell Contractors, is facing difficult challenges. A year ago, Elias woke up early and was playing with his two boys, one 13 and the other 18 months. Returning to his bedroom, he found that his wife had passed away Read More...

IL labor rallies against Govs Walker & Daniels

Apr 06, 2012 (11:13:15)

Illinois unions are rallying against two Republican Governors from adjoining states, who are speaking in Illinois on April 17 and 19. On April 17, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who led the legislative fight to cut public employee collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin, is the guest speaker for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's annual legislative day in Springfield Read More...

Happy Retirement David Raikes

Apr 01, 2012 (17:00:00)

Laborers Local 393 (LaSalle, Bureau & Putnam counties, Illinois) business manager David Raikes retired. A celebration was held for him on March 31, 2012. Congratulations to David on his retirement. For photos from the event, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/59632003@N07/sets/72157629353804790/

GOP Labor Board member passed info to Romney campaign

Mar 28, 2012 (15:10:28)

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has called President Obama's labor board appointees "stooges." One of those appointees, Terence Flynn, is accused of passing internal labor board information to Romney's campaign, to be used to attack the Labor Board that Flynn sits on. Earlier this month, Congressman George Miller (D-Calif Read More...

Why "right-to-work" is wrong

Mar 28, 2012 (07:30:40)

American Rights at Work has a tight summary of why right-to-work (for less) laws are unfavorable to workers. You can see the complete fact sheet at http://www.wrongforeveryone.com/

IL AG Madigan wins back wages for workers

Mar 21, 2012 (08:15:48)

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced March 19 a longtime foreman and subcontractor for a Melrose Park construction company pleaded guilty to 10 counts of forgery for carrying out a scheme to defraud carpenters working on a construction project to soundproof homes around O’Hare Airport Read More...

AFL-CIO, LiUNA endorse Obama for re-election

Mar 21, 2012 (08:25:00)

In a statement on March 13, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said, As president, Barack Obama has placed his faith in America’s working men and women to lead our country to economic recovery and to our full potential as a nation Read More...

Manufacturing illusions

Feb 18, 2012 (16:43:44)

Suddenly, manufacturing is back - at least on the election trail. But don't be fooled. The real issue isn't how to get manufacturing back. It's how to get good jobs and good wages back. They aren't at all the same thing. Republicans have become born-again champions of American manufacturing Read More...