PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc.

As seen in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch March 2, 2003

PRIDE of St. Louis Inc. showcases economic impact of local union construction industry to lawmakers

Event hosted by Missouri Citizens for the Arts

Two diverse groups joined forces recently to showcase their economic impact in a presentation to 90 Missouri lawmakers newly elected to office. The December event, hosted by Missouri Citizens for the Arts, was held at the St. Louis Art Museum. In it, PRIDE of St. Louis Inc., the region’s construction labor-management organization, detailed the union building industry’s achievements and how it develops and supports its substantial workforce with no drain on public funding.

“The local union construction industry has become a highly developed art form itself,” said Ed Abbett, executive director of PRIDE. “It’s important that decision makers in Jefferson City are firmly grounded in the construction industry’s impact on economic development, and its ongoing efforts to develop and support the best trained workforce in the country to meet future building demands.”

The presentation showcased an industry that not only shapes the skyline, but builds the infrastructure essential for transportation, commerce, communications and power generation. Citing statistics from the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Division of Workforce Development and the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, PRIDE said the St. Louis area has become the heartbeat of the construction industry statewide.

For example:

The industry employs more than 63,000 people, accounting for nearly half of the statewide construction workforce.
Construction dollar volume in the region was nearly $4 billion in 2001.
The industry generated $3.7 billion in wages in 2001.

“It’s a self-supporting industry,” noted Gerald T. Feldhaus, labor co-chairman of PRIDE, representing AFL-CIO construction labor organizations. “Each year, more than $100 million is paid in union health and welfare benefits and more than $100 million is paid in retirement benefits. The union construction industry also invests $26 million per year in training to keep pace with building needs. All of this is accomplished at zero cost to taxpayers.”

According to Feldhaus, more that 3,000 union apprentices are trained annually while more than 1,000 journey workers upgrade their skills each year.

PRIDE also noted that St. Louis has a national reputation for construction excellence, with 11 area contractors ranked among the nation’s “Top 400” builders by Engineering News-Record (ENR). In addition, ENR recognized 24 local specialty contractors as the “Top 600” in their fields. The region is also home to nationally known architectural firms, including the largest in the country -- HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum), Inc.

The St. Louis construction industry is also committed to opening opportunities to all qualified workers and helping disadvantaged firms succeed. Initiatives include PRIDE-funded focus groups, designed to open doors for the unemployed and underemployed in the inner city and the AGC Stempel Plan, a mentor-protege program to help women and minority-owned contracting firms succeed.

“Each year, industry members reach out to the community in immeasurable ways,” noted Abbett. Recent examples include:

providing outdoor lighting and security installations for National Night Out winners in the city of St. Louis, an effort of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local #1 and the St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association through its St. Louis Electrical Connection program;
a furnace inspection and repair program for the needy, cosponsored by the Mechanical Contractors Association and Pipefitters Local #562;
building nearly 20 Habitat for Humanity homes; and
donating services to light prominent landmarks.

Established in 1972, PRIDE has worked to maintain harmony and build cooperation among the key players in the St. Louis building industry. The organization promotes construction productivity, cost-effective construction, safe and drug-free job sites, and work force training and development.