Washington, D.C. (November 22, 2021) – Hundreds of thousands of federal government contract workers will receive a pay raise as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Executive Order setting a $15 an hour minimum wage goes into effect in January. Thousands of LIUNA members working under service contracts for the federal government, including many supporting the U.S. military, will also benefit from this increase as well as the plan to index the minimum wage to an inflation measure, so that every year after 2022 wages will be automatically adjusted to reflect changes in the cost of living.

“The Biden Administration should be commended for helping workers get ahead and ensuring that the workers who support the military and the federal government are able to support themselves and their families, said LIUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan.  O’Sullivan further remarked that, “By setting a wage floor for federal contract workers with cost-of-living adjustments, many thousands of Laborers will earn higher wages now and in the future.”

LIUNA Locals 366, 559, and 515 members and fellow union brothers and sisters gathered with Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh to celebrate the announcement of the Department of Labor’s implementation of the wage increases in a ceremony in Birmingham, Alabama.

LIUNA members who serve as custodians and property control technicians attended the event and emphasized the importance of raising wages for workers who are currently struggling to support their families.

“LIUNA members work hard and deserve to be paid fairly. Thankfully we now have an Administration that supports collective bargaining rights and honors the contributions of American workers,” said O’Sullivan.

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The half-million members of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – are on the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build the United States and Canada.