Carpenters, Operating Engineers rejoin WA State Building Trades

The following is from the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council:

SEATTLE (July 14, 2016) — Effective August 1, the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters and International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302 and Local 612 will re-affiliate with the Washington State Building Trades Council. This historic decision will bring nearly 24,000 union carpenters and operating engineers back under the umbrella of the Washington State Building Trades Council.

Announcing the re-affiliation were (from left): Ben Basom and Dan Hutchins of the Carpenters, Ron Dahl and Marge Newgent of IUOE 302, Ernie Evans of IUOE 612, WSBTC Executive Secretary Lee Newgent, and Greg McClure of IUOE 612.

The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters is one of the largest construction unions in Washington state, and now 8 years after leaving the WA State Building Trades Council, has made a historic decision to re-affiliate.

“(WSBCTC Executive Secretary) Lee Newgent’s leadership and focus on furthering the interests of the construction trades and his willingness to fight for job creation was critical for our decision,” said Daren Konopaski, International VP and Business Manager for IUOE Local 302. “The Building Trades is heading in a direction that we want to be a part of and affiliated with.”

“We are simply stronger together,” says Ben Basom, Communications Director for the Pacific NW Regional Council of Carpenters. “When the house of labor is united, we can effect so much more positive change and make a larger positive impact on the construction industry, our communities, and working families in Washington which is the duty and obligation of the labor movement.”

“The Washington State Building and Construction Trades would like to welcome the Carpenters and Operating Engineers back into our Council,” said Lee Newgent, Executive Secretary of Washington State Building Trades Council. “In the words of Abraham Lincoln: ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’ With all of the major crafts together in the same house we will now have a stronger voice for the entire construction industry.”

The Washington State Building Trades Council is headquartered in Olympia and currently represents 15 construction crafts comprised of 70,000 working men and women. Check out– and “like” — the Council’s Facebook page to get the latest news about Washington’s Building Trades.

The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters represents more than 23,000 men and women carpenters throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska with nearly 15,000 residing in Washington state. The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters advocates for fair treatment and fair pay for all Carpenters.

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302 represents more than 12,000 Operating Engineers in Alaska, Idaho, and Washington and is headquartered in Bothell, Wash.

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 612 represents more than 2,200 Operating Engineers in Washington state, and is headquartered in Tacoma.