SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Building Trades Unions convened their annual gathering this week at MGM Springfield, bringing together labor leaders, policymakers and contractors to map out legislative priorities and assess the state’s construction outlook.
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The convention serves as a key annual forum for aligning strategy across the unionized construction workforce, particularly as Massachusetts enters a period of sustained infrastructure investment and project delivery.
Maura Healey addressed attendees, underscoring the role union labor plays in delivering complex public works projects across the state. Her remarks reinforced the administration’s continued support for workforce-driven development initiatives.
A central theme of the discussions was the importance of Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), which union leaders say help ensure efficiency, cost control and workforce development opportunities on major projects.
Officials pointed to the Holyoke Veterans Home as a leading example of how PLAs can deliver strong outcomes while also expanding access to apprenticeships for underrepresented groups, including women, veterans and people of color.
Colton Andrews, president of the Western Mass Building Trades Council, emphasized the significance of the annual meeting in shaping the year ahead.
“This just really kind of charts out our path for this year and legislative priorities, what our agendas are going to be, different initiatives, the whole nine yards,” Andrews said.
Governor Healey echoed that sentiment while highlighting the performance of the Holyoke project.
“Coming out this way, I am reminded about the Veterans Home and that’s a PLA,” Healey said. “On time, ahead of schedule actually, under budget and done so, so well.”
Beyond current projects, union leaders are preparing for a wave of upcoming developments expected to sustain demand for skilled labor across western Massachusetts.
Among the most anticipated is a planned courthouse project in Springfield, which is expected to create new opportunities for contractors and workers alike.
Andrews described the current market conditions as one of the strongest in decades, noting the scale of activity now underway.
“I’m pretty confident when I said that western Mass. is probably in its biggest construction boom we’ve seen in probably 30 years, and the opportunities we have coming up, with the Springfield courthouse project coming up down the road, I think it’s going to be a great path forward,” Andrews said.
The convention also highlighted the growing importance of workforce development as construction demand accelerates. With more projects entering the pipeline, unions are focusing on training, apprenticeship expansion and policy alignment to ensure labor availability keeps pace.
PLAs are expected to remain a cornerstone of that strategy, not only as a project delivery mechanism but also as a tool to build long-term workforce capacity.
In addition, union leaders are likely to push for policies that:
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The convergence of public investment, labor coordination and project planning signals a pivotal moment for the state’s construction industry.
Several factors are driving this momentum:
The Springfield convention reflects how labor organizations are proactively positioning themselves to meet this demand while shaping policy that supports long-term industry stability.
The convention continues through Thursday, with additional sessions focused on refining legislative priorities, strengthening partnerships and identifying new opportunities for the labor community.
As Massachusetts navigates a period of heightened construction activity, the alignment between unions, policymakers and project stakeholders is expected to play a critical role in determining how effectively the state delivers on its infrastructure goals.
Originally reported by Claire Overton in WWLP.
