Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building Trades Council

"The redevelopment of Pimlico should be a flagship project for our state. It is critically important that this board ensures that MSA does not allow issues that have plagued other projects to tarnish this one..."

Building Trades Raise Concerns About Subcontractors Facing Wage Theft Allegations on State Project - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Lawsuit alleges a wage theft "scheme" by three subcontractors

“This scheme – which involved paying plaintiffs far less than the required straight time and overtime wages – enriched subcontractor defendants at plaintiffs’ expense.” -- Jan. 2026 lawsuit alleging wage theft by three contractors on a Baltimore school project

bdcbt.org/subcontracto...

HUGE congrats to our partner on the Raising the Bar Pre-Apprenticeship Program — the Construction Trades Workforce Initiative — on being awarded an EARN grant from the MD Dept of Labor!
governor.maryland.gov/news/press/p...

#skilledtrades #apprenticeship #ConstructionJobs

"This is about the bad actors. This is about the people who do undercut and steal from workers, steal from taxpayers and steal from the state." - Donna Edwards, Pres of the MD & DC AFL-CIO, testifying before the MD Senate Finance Cmt in favor of legislation to address wage theft.

"PLAs create a link between a construction project and established registered #apprenticeship programs."

- #IBEW Local 24 President Jon McLaughlin testifying in favor of proposed Project Labor Agreement (PLA) legislation at a 1/20/26 Anne Arundel County Council meeting.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PLA LEGISLATION

Balt-DC Building Trades Council Pres. Greg Akerman, IUPAT DC 51 Political Dir Roxy Mejia and IBEW Local 24 Pres. Jon McLaughlin testified tonight before the Anne Arundel Cty Council in favor of a proposed Project Labor Agreement (PLA) bill.

The 2026 MD legislative session has begun. We’ll be here in Annapolis all session, standing up for good family-sustaining jobs, battling wage theft, and advocating for Project Labor Agreements that promote #apprenticeship opportunities and great career paths for local residents.

Raising the Bar is the Baltimore-D.C. Metro Building Trades' six-week #apprenticeship readiness program. Next session starts Feb. 2. Want to learn more about how to launch your construction career? VIRTUAL INFO SESSION Jan. 13 @ 5pm via Zoom. Register at:
www.bdcbt.org/rtb

Baltimore City Board Unanimously Approves New Labor Agreement with Building Trades - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Project labor agreement (PLA) includes local hiring requirements for apprentices.

"We look forward to partnering with the city to help it grow in the right way — prioritizing good local jobs, family-sustaining wages and training opportunities that create lifelong careers.”
– Baltimore-DC Building Trades Council President Greg Akerman
bdcbt.org/baltimore-ci...

Building Trades Council Commends Gov-Elect Spanberger on VA Labor Secretary Nomimation - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Jessica Looman (Photo: U.S. Department of Labor, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons) The Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council…

The Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council strongly commends Governor-Elect Abigail Spanberger on the nomination of Jessica Looman to be the next Secretary of Labor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Click below to read the full council statement:

bdcbt.org/gov-elect-sp...

Baltimore City, Building Trades Announce Pilot Labor Agreement for Local Infrastructure Projects - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Project labor agreement (PLA) will cover four upcoming water and waste treatment projects.

“When it comes to projects that are as important as these, we want the best-trained, most skilled labor on the job — and that’s union labor.” – @MayorBMScott
#skilledtrades #apprenticeship

bdcbt.org/baltimore-ci...

D.C. Attorney General Secures More Than $2.2 Million in Wage Theft Settlements - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Investigations found that two contractors illegally misclassified hundreds of construction workers and failed to pay rightfully earned wages.

“In D.C, legal accountability for prevailing wage violations extends all the way up the contracting chain — if your company or any of its subcontractors are underpaying workers, all of you can be held accountable.”
– D.C Attorney General Brian Schwalb

bdcbt.org/dc-attorney-...

DC workers are the backbone of our local economy.

We will use every tool to ensure they get the wages and benefits they earned — especially as the cost of living in DC keeps rising.

If your worker rights have been violated in DC, contact us at workers@dc.gov, trabajadores@dc.gov, or 202-724-7730.

Now, Brother Mechanical will pay $500,000 in worker restitution and $1 million in penalties.

Critically, the company will also be required to prevent worker misclassification by reviewing subcontractors' payrolls, conducting audits, and training workers.

And OAG will monitor future compliance.

Worker misclassification is illegal and hurts both workers and the District.

Workers are deprived of basic protections like overtime pay, paid sick leave, and paid family leave.

And companies avoid paying taxes that fund Social Security, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation.

Brothers Mechanical and its subcontractors worked on major developments in DC.

This includes The Armature Works, The Gantry, Cielo, and The Hale in NoMa — as well as Urby in Navy Yard and The Stacks in Buzzard Point.

OAG uncovered evidence that workers at these sites were illegally misclassified.

WORKER WIN: We secured $1.5 million in restitution and penalties for a wage theft scheme in DC construction.

Brothers Mechanical and its subcontractors misclassified hundreds of workers at developments in NoMa and Navy Yard.

This denied workers overtime, paid sick leave, and critical protections.

"This #apprenticeship is, by far, the greatest experience I've ever had. It's more than a job. It's a career."
- Nang Muang, a 2nd-year apprentice with UA Local 486 testifying at the 12/2/25 Frederick County Council meeting on data centers development in the county.

Great turn-out at today's Raising the Bar Baltimore info session, where 30+ job-seekers turned out to learn more about our 6-week apprenticeship readiness program. Couldn't make it but would like to learn more? Register for a Zoom info session 1/6 or 1/13: www.bdcbt.org/rtb

INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! Raising the Bar is the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades' 6-week #apprenticeship readiness program. Next Balt. classes start 2/2/26. LEARN MORE this Saturday, Dec. 6 @10am at LiUNA Local 710, 3200 Wilkens Ave, Baltimore. RSVP today:
www.bdcbt.org/rtb

We wrapped up 2.5 days of our Balt-DC Building Trades Council Annual Conference yesterday, sharing info on current and upcoming projects, DMV-area legislation, apprenticeship readiness programs, combatting wage theft, local hiring initiatives, Project Labor Agreements and more!

Roundtable Unpacks, Explains Project Labor Agreements - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Discussion focused on PLA benefits, opportunities for contractors and common myths about PLAs

“Tonight is about information sharing and ensuring that our general contractors, our subcontractors and our trades professional have the knowledge and resources that we all need.”
– D.C. Department of General Services (DGS) Director Delano Hunter
bdcbt.org/roundtable-u...
#PLA

Last Saturday, grads of the Baltimore Raising the Bar #apprenticeship readiness program came together for a day of community-building, mentorship and professional development
INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE! Register for our Dec. 6 info session: www.bdcbt.org/rtb #1u #skilledtrades

"There’s not really a single affordable housing project in D.C. that, if you go onto that site, there’s no wage theft happening. It’s a part of the business model. And it goes up to the developer."
— Balt/DC Building Trades Council Pres. Greg Akerman
washingtoncitypaper.com/.../d-c-empl...

Raising the Bar is the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades' 6-week #apprenticeship readiness program. Invest in your future. Next Balt. classes start 2/2/26. LEARN MORE Dec. 6 @10am at LiUNA Local 710, 3200 Wilkens Ave, Baltimore. Register for info session: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

VIDEO: #IBEW Local 24 members talk about their participation in #Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's Fall Cleanup 2025 this past weekend and what they get out of helping and serving their local communities. @ibewinternational.bsky.social

The Baltimore-DC Metro Building and Construction Trades Council seeks an Administrative Assistant to be based in Suitland, MD. Details can be found at: unionjobs.com/listing.php?... #1u #UnionStrong @bdcbt.bsky.social

Baltimore City Council Approves Resolution to Strengthen Workers' Rights - Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council Resolution articulates council's intent to address issues that include worker health and safety, fair contracting, the right to organize a union, wage theft and more.

“This resolution makes one thing clear: Baltimore is a workers’ city and a union town.”
– Metro Baltimore Council President Courtney Jenkins, at a press conference about a new city council resolution aimed at strengthening workers’ rights in Baltimore.

bdcbt.org/baltimore-ci...

Join @LISC_DC & @TCM20743 on October 29th at 9 am for the official launch of the Blue Line Corridor Coalition, a community-led effort driving transformation across the corridor through collaboration, investment, & innovation. Visit bluelinecc.org www.eventbrite.com/e/the-blcc-l...

“Everything is hands-on. When you got hands-on, you feel more in tune. It’s more of you putting the work in.”

— West Baltimore resident George Webb on his experience in the 6-week Raising the Bar apprenticeship readiness program.

#apprenticeship #skilledtrades #Baltimore