NABTU Conference Highlights Workforce, Energy, Infrastructure Advances

The Future of Construction: NABTU's Vision for Workforce and Infrastructure

Washington, D.C. — April 23, 2026 — A gathering of significant magnitude took place this week at the Washington Hilton, where North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) hosted their 2026 U.S. Legislative Conference. This pivotal event attracted a multitude of union leaders, industry executives, and elected officials from both sides of the aisle to chart the future course of America’s construction workforce, energy initiatives, and infrastructure investments.

Three groundbreaking announcements marked the conference, each signaling progress in the construction and energy sectors. NABTU unveiled the first project labor agreement under their national Memorandum of Understanding with OpenAI for Michigan’s Stargate project. Additionally, a nationwide upskilling partnership with Microsoft was announced, along with a significant nuclear energy agreement with Orano tied to Project IKE in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

NABTU President Sean McGarvey emphasized the importance of accountability and standardization during his opening remarks. He stated, “In a time when too many forget the meaning of their own signature, the Building Trades are here to remind America of something timeless: a deal is a deal. Our members deliver the certainty, skill, and reliability this country depends on to build its future. We always have and we always will.”

The conference brought together a diverse lineup of speakers, including national, state, and local policymakers and industry stakeholders, showcasing the vital role unionized construction workers play in fuelling economic growth and developing essential infrastructure across the nation. Full remarks and video from featured speakers are available below.

Tuesday Plenary Speakers:

• Sean McGarvey, President, NABTU
• Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO
• Governor Mikie Sherrill (NJ)
• U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Chuck E. Schumer (NY)
• U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (MI)
• U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (HI)
• U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35)
• Chang Suh, CEO and CIO, AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust

Wednesday Plenary Speakers:

• U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01)
• U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02)
• U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17)
• Graham Platner, Candidate for U.S. Senate (ME)
• Maria Korsnick, President and CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute
• State Delegate Melissa Wells (MD)
• Former State Sen. Click Bishop (AK)
• Jason Shedlock, Candidate for State House (ME)
• Mayor William Sherer (Canton, OH)
• Mayor Dan Bukiewicz (Oak Creek, WI)

NABTU representatives engaged actively with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, advocating for worker protection, enhanced labor standards, and expanded access to Registered Apprenticeship programs and other workforce development pathways.

The event's programming included plenary discussions, policy workshops, a community service day, and coordinated advocacy meetings, all aimed at ensuring substantial investments in energy and infrastructure lead to secure, family-supporting careers for the building trades workforce in America.

A clear message emerged throughout the conference: addressing the increasing demand for construction, energy, and infrastructure requires early commitment to workforce development, labor standards, and collaboration among labor, industry, and government. NABTU's conference remains a key platform to unify stakeholders in building a robust, resilient economy through the expertise of its highly trained members.

Media Contact: Betsy Barrett | (202) 997-3266 | bbarrett@nabtu.org

About NABTU: North America’s Building Trades Unions is a coalition of 14 national and international unions within the building and construction sector, representing over 3 million skilled professionals across the U.S. and Canada. Each year, the unions and their partners invest nearly $2 billion in private funds to manage over 1,900 apprenticeship training and education facilities throughout North America, producing the safest and most skilled workers in the field. NABTU is committed to economic security and job opportunities for construction workers, safeguarding wage and benefit standards, promoting responsible investments, and creating career pathways in construction for various communities. For more information, visit nabtu.org.