The Central Iowa Building & Construction Trades Council is made up of 16 unions representing more than 15,000 highly skilled workers who perform building and construction work across Central Iowa. We provide contractors with the highest skilled and trained workforce in the industry completing projects on time and under budget.

The priorities of the building trades are simple. We believe in growing Iowa jobs that support working families. We believe in responsible investment in building, transportation, energy, and water infrastructure. We believe in ensuring prevailing wages, workplace safety, and other common-sense labor protections on all construction projects. We believe in developing Iowa's current and future workforce through registered apprenticeship and continued education, including supporting diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.  

Learn More

• Our Leadership
• Our Priorities
• Our Jurisdiction
• Apprenticeship Readiness Program (MC3 Pre-Apprenticeship)
• Forest Avenue Outreach Summer Program
• Women in Trades

We provide the best training and workforce in the industry.

An employee of a union contractor in the construction trades has gone through thousands of hours of training to learn his or her skills.  Non-union contractors cannot match the training, productivity, and project outcomes of the unionized construction industry.

Union contractors are significantly less likely to have delays in completion times due to shortages of workers — and they've actually been more likely to add workers in this tight labor market. When you use a union construction firm, you know there are fewer mistakes and change orders on jobs. You know you are getting a safe and highly-trained workforce with lower turnover, and a collective bargaining agreement that outlines all of the work rules and relevant provisions governing the project.

In our world, union and management work cooperatively to make sure that projects go smoothly. Management is rewarded by having the best trained workforce in the industry and workers are rewarded with a quality wage and fringe benefit package. 

Learn More

• Study: Union construction is better at meeting workforce needs
• Study: If you want a construction project finished on time without worker shortages, hire a unionized crew
• Study: Big differences bewteen union vs. non-union construction workers
• Study: Union construction sites are safer than non-union job sites
• Article: If construction firms need workers, they should turn to unions

Building Union is Good Business!

If you are a contractor and would like to become signatory with one or more local unions, contact us today to see how we can bring projects in safely, on time, and on budget! 

Learn More