Pennsylvania Nonunion Construction Workers Emerged as Key GOP Voting Bloc in 2024, Survey Finds

PITTSBURGH — A new survey released by Associated Builders and Contractors Western Pennsylvania suggests nonunion construction workers played a significant role in helping Republicans secure victories in the 2024 election cycle, including the election of Donald Trump.

The study, conducted by The Harris Poll across six battleground states, found that nonunion skilled trades workers represent the overwhelming majority of the construction workforce electorate, accounting for between 76% and 98% of workers in those states. In Pennsylvania, the survey said nonunion workers make up 88% of the state’s construction workforce.

ABC Western PA leaders said the results challenge long-standing assumptions that union households dominate the working-class political landscape.

“While the working-class identity has too often been conflated with union affiliation, the data shows that the state’s nonunion construction workers voted for President Trump at a significantly higher rate in 2024,” said Justin Erdner, chapter president of ABC Western PA. “In fact, through measures of party alignment, candidate support, and policy preferences, nonunion workers in the trades consistently align more closely with the GOP than their union counterparts.”

Survey Highlights Growing Political Influence of Merit Shop Workers

According to the survey, support for Trump among merit shop or nonunion workers exceeded support among union workers across all six battleground states included in the study.

In Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, nonunion construction workers reportedly backed Trump at rates seven percentage points higher than union workers.

The findings also indicated broad opposition among construction workers to union-preference requirements in federal contracting. The survey found that workers favored allowing the federal government to select contractors based on overall value rather than union affiliation.

“When asked whether the federal government should have the flexibility to select contractors based on best value for taxpayers, rather than union affiliation, 83% of nonunion construction workers agreed or strongly agreed and 73% of union construction workers agreed or strongly agreed,” the release stated.

Erdner argued that current federal project labor agreement mandates conflict with the political makeup of the construction workforce.

“Despite this political reality, the Trump administration continues to support the controversial project labor agreement (PLA) mandate that President Joe Biden established via executive order,” said Erdner. “The PLA mandate tells nonunion construction workers they are unworthy of participating in federally funded projects, which risks alienating a workforce that forms a critical part of the GOP's electoral base, particularly in swing states where nonunion workers play an outsized role.”

Federal Contracting Policies Remain Flashpoint Ahead of Midterms

Project labor agreements, commonly known as PLAs, are pre-hire collective bargaining agreements that establish labor terms for construction projects. Supporters argue they improve labor stability and project coordination, while critics contend they limit competition by discouraging nonunion contractors from bidding on federally funded work.

ABC Western PA said the survey results should serve as a warning sign for Republican leaders heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

“Ahead of the midterms, President Trump and his administration have a choice,” Erdner said. “They can reverse course and allow all workers, including the nonunion workers who powered their 2024 victory, to participate on federal projects, or they can continue appeasing union leadership through policies that restrict competition, raise costs, and alienate the overwhelming majority of Pennsylvania's construction workforce.”

Originally reported by Associated Builders And Contractors.