Baltimore-based Constellation and North America’s Building Trades Unions agreed to work to increase diversity in the building trades among groups that have not historically worked in the energy industry.
The pledge applies to all Constellation building trades projects and seeks to increase access, equity and advancement opportunities for underrepresented groups, such as women and communities of color. The pledge also sets standards to eliminate bias and create what a press release called “a culture of belonging” in all aspects of recruitment, hiring, training, and retention practices.
Constellation employs several thousand members of North America’s Building Trades Unions each year.
Under terms of the agreement, Constellation, its contractors and union partners will report each year on the engagement and partnerships formed with community leaders and the workforce development programs to help meet the pledge. Signees include industry employers such as Allied Power, Siemens Energy, GE-APM, JJ White, BrandSafway, and Brieser Construction.
Constellation, NABTU and its union partners agreed to form an oversight committee made up of representatives from each signatory to facilitate their efforts, which is expected to include transparency of recruitment efforts, areas of opportunity, and sharing of best practices.
NABTU represents some three million skilled craft professionals in the United States and Canada. It is composed of 14 national and international unions and over 330 provincial, state and local building and construction trades councils.
A 2022 report from the Institute for Construction Economics Research looked at workforce development and diversity, equity and inclusion in the construction industry.
The study found that union programs are “far more effective” than non-union programs at recruiting and training more women and racially diverse groups into the construction industry.
NABTU said the study demonstrates building trades unions’ programs achieve success because of “deliberate, intentional work and critical partnerships” with community-based organizations, industry leaders, and government agencies. It said that federal investments from the Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 Infrastructure Bill as well as legislation to strengthen, CHIPS, and Infrastructure Bill create a need for more “on-ramps” to apprenticeship programs.
The study involved researchers from the University of Utah; University of Michigan; Rutgers, The State Jersey; Michigan State University and Allegheny College.
