Building Trades’ Aboussie first labor leader to receive management award
By TIM ROWDEN
Editor
PRIDE Labor-Management honored leadership in the St. Louis construction industry at its seventh annual awards luncheon Aug. 21.
For the first time in its more than 40-year history, PRIDE recognized a labor leader with the Al Fleisher Management Award, recognizing St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Jeff Aboussie for his tireless work and steadfast commitment to building consensus among labor, business and political leaders.
“We consider ourselves to be partners in our industry,” Aboussie said. “Partners with our contractors; partners with our construction consumers; partners with the governments we deal with all the time; partners with our political leadership; and partners with the wide variety of community groups we have in our St. Louis region.”
DIVERSITY
This fall, the St. Louis Building Trades Council is launching its BUD program – Building Union Diversity, an effort to help minorities, women and disadvantaged groups become trained, skilled union craftsmen through the apprenticeship programs of 10 participating union locals.
“This isn’t a ‘make work’ temporary effort to get minorities and women hopping from one job site to another to meet artificial quotas,” Aboussie said.
“BUD is a program to give men and women a career in construction that want one, but haven’t had the opportunity before.
