Last summer CTUL launched the Building Dignity and Respect Campaign, led by non-union construction workers to fight for fair pay and working conditions, as well as a voice in the workplace for all construction workers in the Twin Cities. CTUL has reached out to Solhem, Yellow Tree, and United Properties, 3 prominent multi-family developers in the construction industry in Minneapolis. These developers have a history of using exploitative subcontractors who have violated workers’ rights, including Absolute Drywall, a company that was recently in the news for reports of wage theft and sexual assault on one of their work sites. We recently found out that one of the multi-family developers we are highlighting in our campaign (Solhem) is proposing a massive apartment project at 1335 NE Central Ave. The North East Neighborhood Park Neighborhood Association has sent a letter supporting dignity and respect for all workers in their community, and opposing the project unless Solhem joins BDR.

We believe that the housing needs in our neighborhood should not be built on the backs of exploited workers by indifferent developers and abusive contractors.

We are calling upon Solhem, Yellow Tree, and United Properties to meet with CTUL to discuss conditions that workers face in the industry and how the Building Dignity and Respect Program changes those standards. Ultimately we are calling on them to sign into the BDR Program with Building Dignity and Respect Standards Council (BDC) to ensure that workers on all of their future projects are treated with basic dignity and respect.

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