The State Appeals Court on Tuesday invalidated the City of Springfield's lease of a regional animal control center, saying the city broke the state's competitive bidding laws in construction of the center.  Attorney Christopher Souris said "It represents a very important decision on the scope and significance of public construction laws."  See story in "The Republican."

(NECN: Peter Howe, Boston, Mass.) With bills authorizing up to three casinos in Massachusetts up for a hearing Thursday before the Legislature's Joint Committee on Economic Development, construction unions swarmed Beacon Hill to fight for what they called today's best chance to ease rampant unemployment in the building trades.  See Video

Hundreds of construction workers are flooding the Statehouse to lobby on behalf of casino gaming in Massachusetts.  See Story in the October 2th Boston Herald.

Hundreds of Union Construction Workers Will Rally for Unemployed Workers Prior to Hearing at State House.  See News Advisory.

Bob Wilson, BA, IBEW Local 7 is named this year's "Labor Person of the Year" at the 24th Annual Berkshire County Labor-Legislative Breakfast on October 18th.  See article in the Berkshire Eagle

Click heading to read Ironworkers District Council President Jay Hurley's letter to the editor setting the record straight on Project Labor Agreements.

Project Labor Agreements have been used successfully for over 60 years on both private and public sector construction projects. Despite this record, the opponents of PLAs have generated wild claims to discredit them and President Obama's Executive Order allowing government agencies to utilize PLAs. For the truth about PLA’s and how they work go to www.plaswork.org

President Obama’s support of project labor agreements reverses the race-to-the-bottom ethos of the Bush administration.

This year the Web Marketing Association adjudicated more than 2,000 sites from 45 countries in 96 industry categories.  The website was selected for its design, ease of use, copywriting, interactivity, use of technology, innovation and content. 

Their industry battered by the recession, leaders of the Pioneer Valley’s construction unions pushed hard Friday for a casino in Palmer. Paul I. Brody, of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, said the authority has always used union labor and would sign a project labor agreement.