Unions
and the CLMC
History
Workers in the construction industry worked long hours were paid very little and were pretty much at the mercy of the people who employed them in the early days. For these and other reasons construction workers began to form unions to have a voice in the workplace. Most of the construction labor unions in this area were formed in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Early contracts increased wages and shortened the work day so workers could earn a good living and spend time with their families.
Today’s workers take for granted many of the gains trailblazers fought for back in those early days. Workers fought for justice in the workplace. In those days construction workers were expected to work 12 or 14 hour days six or seven days a week. They did not receive overtime pay. There were no paid holidays or paid vacations. There were no pensions or health insurance plans. There were no formal training programs or health and safety regulations. There were no laws to compensate unemployed workers. There were no worker compensation benefits for injured workers. All of these benefits we take for granted today were brought to us by workers who sacrificed their souls for so many years. Some even paid the ultimate price by sacrificing their lives.
All of these justices in the workplace can be attributed to the hard working men and women of organized labor. We at the CLMC are proud to partner with the fine men and women who are members of organized labor. We prefer to take the high road providing excellent wages and benefits to our workers in exchange for a fair day’s work. CLMC construction workers take pride in their work. We prefer to utilize a highly skilled and well motivated workforce to build the quality projects that the construction user deserves.
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