Courtesy / Maine State Building & Construction Trades Council
Jason Shedlock is the new president of the Maine State Building & Construction Trades Council.
December 6, 2021
Trades Council's new president stresses advocacy, organization
By Jessica Hall
The Maine State Building & Construction Trades Council has elected Jason Shedlock as its president, representing more than 5,000 workers in 17 construction labor unions, following the retirement of Johnny Napolitano, who led the organization for the last 14 years.
Shedlock was previously the executive director of the August-based Trades Council, which represents laborers, crane operators, iron workers and electricians.
In his new role, Shedlock said he hopes to push for more advocacy and organizing.
“Labor and Maine, in general, are at a critical time with the Biden administration making sure working families have a fair opportunity at a fair wage and a fair shot at a better future,” Shedlock told Mainebiz.
“In Maine and across the country, people are realizing that union membership is a way to achieve better wages and working conditions.”
Shedlock is a member of Local 327 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America and currently a regional organizer for its New England Region Organizing Fund. He also sits on the Maine State Workforce Board, as well as the Maine Apprenticeship Council, having been appointed to both by Gov. Janet Mills.
The tight labor market and growth in building, infrastructure and solar power all bode well for workers, said Shedlock, who is the great-grandson and grandson of coal miners, and the son of a boilermaker and custodian.
“Workers have always had power. What we’re seeing is people banding together and using that power,” Shedlock said. “What we’re seeing is a renewed interest in working with contractors who are working with union workers.
"We’re going to lean forward at the state capitol and town halls and companies by pointing out situations where workers are not treated properly and we’re going to shed light on those instances. The entire industry suffers when workers suffer.”
Shedlock also currently serves as a trustee and is on the executive board of both the Maine AFL-CIO as well as the Southern Maine Labor Council.
“Jason has worked closely with all the building trades over several years as a staff person, and has been engaged across Maine’s labor community through many initiatives of the Maine AFL-CIO. His experience will be an asset to the Council and the broader labor movement,” said Cynthia Phinney, president of the Maine AFL-CIO and member of IBEW Local 1837.
Robert Burr, vice president of the Trades Council and business agent for Local 4 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, added, “I’ve worked alongside Jason for a number of years in his various roles in the labor movement, and I can’t think of a better person to take the Trades Council to the next level. His passion for the labor movement and unique combination of strategic vision, ability to build coalitions and aggressive advocacy leads me to one simple conclusion: that I'm glad he’s on our side.”
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