A committed union contractor in Western Pennsylvania, Frank Howard, took part in a U.S. Department of Labor discussion on “Good Jobs in the Clean Economy” last summer, highlighting his company’s positive experience partnering with union labor. Frank Howard is the President of Howard Concrete Pumping and has been working in the construction industry his whole life. In the 1980s, his company began specialty work in mine grouting. Since then, this work has become the hallmark of Howard Concrete Pumping, making up the majority of Mr. Howard’s contract work. Today, his company is known as one of the best contractors in the U.S. for mine stabilization/grouting, doing more reclamation work than any other company east of Wyoming.
The three main benefits of union labor according to Mr. Howard
Speaking at the DOL event in D.C., Mr. Howard was asked to talk about why he uses union labor and what he sees as the value of respecting the rights of workers to unionize. In answering the question, Mr. Howard made the business case for using union labor, offering three main benefits.
Career opportunities
First, Mr. Howard highlighted the fact that unions help to provide quality career opportunities to workers. This includes good wages, robust retirement, healthy benefits, and training opportunities. Unions provide workers with the training and good-paying jobs needed to live a good life without necessarily needing to get a college degree.
Safety training and assurance
Second, unions offer strong safety training and quality control and assurance. From a business owner’s perspective, especially in the construction industry, using union labor tends to provide businesses with a more professional result. Unions invest in safety training, resulting in workers being much more focused on, aware of, and tuned in to critical safety practices, which is good for everybody. Unions also provide strong quality control and assurance—union labor tends to build faster and at a better quality than non-union labor.
Workforce development
And lastly, Frank Howard said unions provide a strong, well-organized workforce development system that benefits companies. Unions workforce development systems in the construction industry provide a steady stream of well-trained workers that companies can rely on. Mr. Howard shared a little about his relationship with Local 66 of the Operating Engineers in Pittsburgh. “When I have a need, I call them, and they understand my needs.” He also talked about the world-class apprenticeship run by Local 66. These types of programs, he said, are what can train and attract the younger generation that the construction industry so desperately needs.
The future outlook for union labor
Because of President Biden’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, huge amounts of federal funding are and will continue to flow into Pennsylvania and other parts of Appalachia over the next decade. As funds are used to clean up abandoned mine lands, cap uncapped wells, and undertake other critical projects, a strong, well-trained, and reliable construction workforce will be needed. As Mr. Howard described, using union labor brings with it huge benefits to workers and companies and can begin to solve companies’ workforce development challenges.
“I’m proud to say that we are union contractors. I know my folks are out there working hard every day and I’m proud that they are making a good living doing that.”Frank Howard
President of Howard Concrete Pumping
