The Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly is the AFL-CIO central labor organization for the Illinois counties of McLean, Livingston, Logan and DeWitt.  The Livingston & McLean Counties Building & Trades Council covers construction trade unions for those two counties.

The Trades & Labor is the central voice for local unions in the area, working on political mobilization, community outreach and organizing new workers.

The Building & Trades Council brings construction trades together to discuss common interests, monitor economic development and possible job opportunities for members and to build relationships with elected officials to insure decent jobs. The Building Trades meets weekly on the first Monday.

With roots stretching back to the 19th century Knights of Labor, the Trades & Labor Assembly has been organized labor's main community presence for over 100 years.

There are 31 affiliated local unions, covering construction, industrial and public employees, with over 8,000 members.

The Trades & Labor has three main goals:

• Political Action
• Community Involvement
• Organizing new workers.

Politically, this means supporting candidates for federal, state and local action, plus lobbying government to uphold and strengthen workers' rights.

Community Involvement is a key part of this labor assembly's outreach. Union members can be found serving on numerous committees and boards. Plus there are numerous annual "hands-on" community projects, where union members donate their time and energy to build something for the community or a particular charity or organization. The Trades & Labor was the only labor organization cited at the 1996 Presidential Points of Light awards program in Philadelphia.

Finally, the organization is dedicated to organizing any workers who are interested in union representation.

The organization meets monthly on the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at Laborers Local 362 Hall, 2005 Cabintown Road, Bloomington, Illinois.

The organization also publishes monthly the award-winning Grand Prairie Union News.

For more information on the Trades & Laboror its affiliated local unions, contact:

Ronn Morehead, President
P.O. Box 3396
Bloomington, IL 61702-3396
309-828-8813

Or contact the Union News:
Mike Matejka
309-827-3934
matejka53@aol.com

For information on the Building & Trades Council, contact Secretary Tony Penn at 309-828-4368.