Building Trades Unions Host World's Largest Tradeswomen Gathering

The Facts -

Over 5,200 Tradeswomen from the U.S. and Canada Attended the Largest Ever TWBN Conference; President Biden Addressed Attendees, Reminding Them of Their Phenomenal Impact

Washington, DC – October 1, 2024

This past weekend, more than 5,200 tradeswomen, government, labor, and industry leaders from North America gathered in New Orleans, Louisiana, for NABTU’s 14th annual Tradeswomen Build Nations Conference (TWBN).

TWBN, the world’s largest building trades conference, unites union tradeswomen from the U.S. and Canada. The event featured plenary sessions, workshops, panels, a mile-long banner parade on Julia, Camp, and Poydras streets, and networking opportunities to empower tradeswomen and boost their career success.

NABTU President Sean McGarvey stated, “In my twenty years at NABTU, I have always aspired to ensure the next generation is stronger. Witnessing over 5,000 determined women at TWBN, I am confident in our progress.”

The conference included speeches from President Joe Biden, Labor Secretary Julie Su, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, NABTU President Sean McGarvey, LiUNA President Brent Booker, Insulators LMCT Director Gina Walsh, and industry executives Anne Ackerley, Heather Baldwin, and Blanca Diaz. Executives from allied organizations like the American Federation for Suicide Prevention and United Suicide Survivors International also participated, highlighting the significance of the Infrastructure Generation and the upcoming November election.

Vicki O’Leary, NABTU Tradeswomen Committee Chair, said, “TWBN represents a pivotal moment in advancing tradeswomen and fostering industry and government collaboration. The event’s magnitude and shared insights will shape our field’s future.”

The 2025 TWBN conference is set for September 19-21, in Chicago, Illinois.

Press contacts:
Betsy Barrett and Kaylie Rowland, NABTU (US) | comms@nabtu.org | (703) 328-1434
Jennifer White, CBTU (Canada) | jwhite@buildingtrades.ca | (613) 301-4795

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About NABTU: North America’s Building Trades Unions is an alliance of 14 national and international unions in the building and construction industry, representing over 3 million skilled craft professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Each year, these unions and contractor partners invest over $2 billion in private-sector funds to operate over 1,900 apprenticeship training facilities across North America. For more information, please visit NABTU’s official website.

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