Washington, D.C. — At a construction union event on December 11, union leaders and contractors expressed cautious optimism about the future of the industry, though they acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the transition to a new administration.

During the Association of Union Constructors State of the Union Construction Industry event, leaders praised President Joe Biden’s administration for its work, particularly through the funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the CHIPS Act. “We in the building trades will be forever grateful for what the president did,” said Sean McGarvey, president of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU).

McGarvey and other speakers highlighted the potential risks under President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, noting that Trump could attempt to roll back some of Biden’s achievements, but would likely be unable to reverse already allocated funds. He specifically pointed to the benefits from Biden’s update to the Davis-Bacon Act and praised Biden’s executive order requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal projects over $35 million. McGarvey emphasized that this order has already led to 13 contracts with open-shop contractors.

TAUC President-elect Chris Buckman, president and CEO of BMWC Constructors, supported Biden’s executive order, asserting that PLAs help ensure timely and efficient project completion. However, McGarvey predicted that this executive order would be rescinded on the first day of the new administration, saying, “What we do know is that on Day 1, President Biden’s executive order on PLAs will go.”

Labor secretary pick Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, nominated by Trump for Secretary of Labor, also generated discussion. Chavez-DeRemer has a pro-labor record, which was recognized by several speakers at the event, including Buckman, who called her “a surprising choice,” noting her support for the Protecting The Right To Organize Act. Anirban Basu, CEO of Sage Policy Group, described her as “one of the most pro-labor Republicans in Congress.”

While McGarvey acknowledged Chavez-DeRemer’s pro-labor stance, he remained skeptical about the effectiveness of any Trump Cabinet member, predicting that they would ultimately function as figureheads.

Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., a self-identified "pro-labor Republican," expressed his commitment to protecting aspects of Biden’s legacy, including updates to the Davis-Bacon Act, which was met with applause. “We on the Republican side are getting more pro-labor Republicans,” Stauber said.

Despite the uncertainties with the Trump administration, the prevailing sentiment among union leaders was that the federal funding from the Biden administration would continue to benefit both employers and workers. McGarvey emphasized the NABTU’s efforts in electing Kamala Harris, noting the significant financial investment the organization made in her campaign. He added, “We don’t kid ourselves that if the vice president had succeeded, we would have done as well under the vice president as we did under Biden.”

In the face of the upcoming changes, McGarvey expressed confidence that union members will remain in high demand, and predicted that Republicans would need to continue working to keep union support, saying, “We’re still the pretty girl at the dance.”