Saint Paul, MN – Today, Joel Smith, President and Business Manager of LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota released the following statement after the Minnesota Legislature passed a local infrastructure jobs bill and other pro-worker priorities during the Special Session.
"After months of advocating, rallying, and making our voices heard, LIUNA members can put on their hard hats and get to work rebuilding Minnesota. This bonding bill isn't just about concrete and steel – it's about creating family-supporting careers that allow our members to put food on the table, protect their healthcare, and secure their pensions.
The Legislature's bipartisan support of a $700 million construction jobs bill demonstrates a commitment to fixing Minnesota's infrastructure, including funding for roads and bridges, critical water infrastructure improvements, and public buildings. These investments will build lasting infrastructure that serves communities across the state while creating good-paying local jobs with benefits.
While we celebrate this progress, with capital investment requests across the state totaling $7.6 billion, there is far more work to do. Every year is the year to keep up our infrastructure.
We are grateful to the Legislature and Governor Walz for defending prevailing wage and broadband worker safety protections, protecting existing and creating new dedicated funding for roads and bridges, and continuing to invest in fixing water infrastructure. We appreciate the Legislature and Governor Walz supporting other LIUNA priorities, including budgeting resources for the promotion of mental health awareness in the construction industry, continuing to support job-creating data centers, and making additional permitting reforms that remove barriers to projects and progress.
On behalf of the more than 14,000 members of LIUNA Minnesota and North Dakota, we thank Majority Leader Erin Murphy, Minority Leader Mark Johnson, Speaker Lisa Demuth, Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and all of the legislators and staff from both sides of the aisle for their leadership and for delivering for Minnesotans during unprecedented times.”
