WASHINGTON, DC – October 6, 2020 – North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey issued the following statement in response to President Trump ending COVID-19 relief negotiations until after the presidential election:

“I am appalled at President Trump’s decision today to walk away from negotiations at the expense of already struggling, hardworking Americans just trying to make ends meet during a pandemic. This is a breathtaking failure of leadership by the self-proclaimed ‘deal maker’ and a revealing display of priorities for him and his Republican allies. After months of dithering, division, posturing and empty promises, they and the President have now decided to turn their backs on their struggling constituents to shift sole attention to delivering for the only constituency that seems to matter to them – the well-financed elites who want to rush through a Supreme Court nominee. We are in the midst of a pandemic that requires humility, cooperation and true leadership, and by every measure, President Trump is failing our hardworking members in the construction industry, all frontline essential workers and indeed, the entire nation. He should immediately reverse course and convene negotiators until a deal is reached.”

 

###