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Organized Labor in Residential Construction

New England Regional Council of Carpenters

Residential construction is the largest sector of the construction industry and operates virtually union free in most parts of the United States. The jobs it provides offer some of the lowest wages and worst working conditions in the industry. For these reasons organizing the residential market is crucial to the future of building trades unions. This article explores why unions lost the residential market decades ago, how employers and workers developed in the absence of unions, and what kind of organizing activity is happening in the market currently. The article concludes by offering suggestions for future organizing in residential construction.

Key Words: residential construction • labor organizing • building trades unions • immigrant workers • housing development

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This version was published on March 1, 2008

Labor Studies Journal, Vol. 33, No. 1, 9-26 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0160449X07312076


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Rabourn, M. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?