This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we’ve covered all 65 of our affiliates. Next up are the Laborers (LIUNA).
Name of Union: Laborers’ International Union of North America
Mission: The Laborers’ International Union of North America is a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build the United States and Canada. A half-million strong, we are united through collective bargaining agreements that help us earn family-supporting pay, good benefits, and the opportunity for advancement and better lives. Watch this video to get to know LIUNA better!
Current Leadership of Union: On May 1, 2023, Brent Booker became the 11th general president of LIUNA. He is a University of Virginia graduate and a proud third-generation member of Laborers’ Local 795 in New Albany, Indiana. Prior to his appointment as general president, Booker served as LIUNA’s vice president and special assistant to the general president. From 2012 to 2022, he served as secretary-treasurer of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU). While at NABTU, he also served as secretary-treasurer of Helmets to Hardhats. Before moving to NABTU, Booker served as director of LIUNA’s Construction Department from 2007 to 2012, having worked there from 2001 to 2007. He began his career with LIUNA as an intern in the union’s mailroom. Michael F. Sabitoni serves as LIUNA’s general secretary-treasurer. In addition to Booker and Sabitoni, LIUNA is governed by a 14-member general executive board.
Number of Members: 530,000
Work Members Do: LIUNA members are a skilled and experienced union workforce trained to work safely in the construction and energy industries. Members build infrastructure—from roads, bridges and transit to schools and skyscrapers. They are certified to install rainwater catchment systems and trained to build water and sewer systems. Members also work in every area of the energy sector, helping to build solar plants, wind farms, and natural gas and oil pipelines, as well as being skilled in the maintenance of nuclear and coal power plant facilities.
LIUNA also represents more than 70,000 public employees. LIUNA public employees provide critical services from health care and sanitation to road maintenance and emergency response. The National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), which represents 47,000 mail handlers employed by the United States Postal Service, is also affiliated with LIUNA.
Industries Represented: Construction and public service. These working men and women are employed by various agencies, including the Postal Service, the Indian Health Service, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service.
History: The first recognized union for laborers was formed in Philadelphia in 1836. In 1903, American Federation of Labor President Samuel Gompers called for a convention to establish an international union of construction laborers, and the International Hod Carriers and Building Laborers’ Union was founded. (A hod is a tray connected to a pole handle that is used to shoulder loads of construction materials, such as mortar or brick.)
At its first convention, the union represented more than 8,000 laborers in 17 different cities, most of whom were immigrants seeking a better life. In 1912, the union changed its name to the International Hod Carriers’ Building and Common Laborers of America. By the end of the decade, the union had nearly 550 locals and more than 96,000 members. As the union grew, it became a stronger voice for immigrant and African American workers. In the 1920s, the union chartered its first public sector local.
Pensions were a key issue for laborers before World War II. Most members worked for multiple contractors during their careers, making it impossible to earn pensions. The union established portable multi-employer plans, which have helped secure retirement for millions of working people.
During World War II, the union suspended all dues and pledged full support for the National Defense Program. By 1941, membership neared 300,000. After the war, a massive construction boom helped membership exceed 430,000.
In 1965, the union changed its name to the Laborers’ International Union of North America, or LIUNA for short. The union’s successful fights for health care and expanding pension coverage became vital organizing tools.
In the ensuing decades, the union expanded its focus on member benefits, political organizing and training. Many locals began to offer additional services, from health clinics to drug and alcohol rehabilitation resources. Its political organizing strength became sought-after by candidates for state, local and federal office. Its training programs grew to invest tens of millions of dollars each year to help new members develop careers and enable existing members to find additional opportunities. In this era, the union adopted its stylized LIUNA Feel the Power mark and recognizable orange brand.
Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: In 2024, LIUNA kicked off the ambitious March to One Million Members. Additionally in 2024, LIUNA General President Brent Booker announced a new LIUNA Maternity leave policy, which responds to the No. 1 request from members by providing a maternity leave benefit for laborers. This policy was developed with the goal of offering the most comprehensive benefits in the unionized construction industry. The Laborers Rising initiative was launched in 2024 as a unionwide effort that stands on the belief that all members can be heroes in their own communities. The union strives to harness the power of its half-million members by encouraging the aggressive use of mobilization, organizing and communications tools at each of its 400 local unions. See how every new member is equipped to be an integral and active part of the union with a Membership Orientation Guide. Through the LIUNA Training and Education Fund, members have access to free world-class skills training, enabling them to expand their work opportunities. Through various organizing efforts, the union fights to help non-union workers improve their lives by uniting with the union and by defending the rights of all workers, whether immigrant or native born. LIUNA also supports constituency groups for retirees, women, African American members and Latino members. To see the amazing work that LIUNA members do, visit Great Projects. Check out LECET's labor-contractor initiative, which helps connect skilled workers with the contractors who need them. To learn how the union strives to make jobsites safer and workers healthier, visit the Laborers' Health and Safety Fund and its publication, Lifelines. LIUNA publishes a magazine for members, The Laborer.