Apprenticeship programs are getting more attention these days to help fill skilled labor shortages but accessibility is seen is a barrier and Minnesota could boost support for a program that opens its arms to disadvantaged populations.

A Minnesota House committee heard testimony this week on a bill that would provide $800,000 over the next two budget years to the Building Strong Communities program, a regional nonprofit spearheaded by construction union partners.

Natalie Pilrain, a recent graduate of the program, said as a single mom trying to finish high school, it gave her the chance at a promising career by overcoming up-front hurdles.

"At the time, I didn't have extra money lying around for work boots or hotel expenses for going up to the training center," Pilrain pointed out. "Building Strong Communities covered those costs for me."

She is now earning strong wages as an apprentice with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49. Bill sponsors said additional state funds could help the program further fulfill its mission to recruit women, minorities and veterans. The measure has bipartisan sponsors but like other proposals this spring, it faces an uncertain future with Minnesota's budget surplus getting smaller.

Dorlisa Squires, also a program graduate, said officials were very responsive when she asked about it. After working in the medical device field for many years, Squires told the committee she wound up homeless without a promising career outlook. She stressed her new journey through the trades has given her a fresh start.

"Now I have a career and now I have placement," Squires explained. "I have an apartment, a car."

Officials said the free training has led to 107 job placements over a two-year period.

A new study commissioned by the federal Department of Labor said registered apprenticeship programs dramatically increase the ability of participants to afford basic needs, especially initiatives led by unions. The movement comes as the industry still hears complaints about long-standing issues such as nepotism.


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Kansas City transit riders and workers are fighting proposed cuts, warning of a looming public transit crisis.

Hundreds of advocates of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority gathered on the steps of City Hall last week over threats to cut 13 bus routes, eliminate up to 175 transit jobs and shut down the Immigrant and Refugee Integration Services microtransit program.

Protesters warned the cuts could strand thousands, cost hundreds of jobs and leave misclassified IRIS drivers without unemployment benefits.

Ashley Ball, a leader with Stand Up KC and the Missouri Workers Center, relies on public transit for work.

"I was living in a hotel with my kids in North Kansas City and the buses weren't always reliable, so I got IRIS early to be able to get to my shift," Ball explained. "I work in the city now, overnights at Taco Bell. It's very beneficial to have IRIS when I get off work."

Supporters argued the cuts are needed to address KCATA's budget shortfall, as the city's $71 million allocation falls far short of the $117 million needed. Officials also cited high administrative costs and call for more efficient transit operations.

In 2024, KCATA reported 1.1 million riders, a four-year high, averaging more than 35,000 people daily. Couple that with KC Streetcars, and Kansas City's transit served more than 40,000 people per day last year.

For Ball, its significance goes beyond just transportation.

"Our public transportation is the heart of the city," Ball emphasized. "It allows us, no matter where we are from or what we look like, to move around, accomplish our goals and try to live a better dream."

The budget cuts are being discussed by the City Council Finance Committee after talks were delayed in a previous session.


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Minnesota's up-and-coming doctors say in order to better care for patients down the road, they need collective bargaining power.

A large group of them has filed to form a union, reflecting an industry shift. This week, a supermajority of nearly 1,000 University of Minnesota resident physicians and fellows submitted their union-creation plans. It follows a similar move by peers at Hennepin Health earlier this month.

Dr. Thomas Schmidt, infectious diseases fellow at the University of Minnesota, said the current work environment for providers advancing through their training in hospitals and other settings is pretty grueling, with up to 80-hour workweeks in some cases.

"It's us making sure that we're having some breaks and making sure that we're able to have some life outside of training," Schmidt explained. "To ensure that we can be good doctors when we're there with our patients."

Schmidt cited burnout, still lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic, as one factor behind doctors embracing unionization. Researchers say the number of newly union-represented doctors could soon double, compared with the past two decades.

Because of consolidation in health care, more physicians are now employees of larger systems, as opposed to independent practitioners. The university said it will be responsive to all necessary parties as the process takes shape.

Doctors still getting their training say the residency system leaves little room to advocate for changes or request a new location. And while established medical professionals might make good money, Schmidt said it is not the case for residents, who are often in the $15 to $20 per-hour range.

"That is not a substantial amount of money to be able to take care of your housing, to take care of your family," Schmidt pointed out. "I'm a parent of two young kids, so it has not been easy to be a trainee."

He added some peers are delaying starting a family because of the limited pay and long hours.

Skeptics fear the union push among doctors will reduce the earnings of specialists. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, which has members working on infectious disease control in the state health department, recognizes the need for providers to have a bigger voice. It said it is vital as public health concerns, such as the bird flu, add to the work demands for the young professionals.

Overflow crowds are showing up at town hall meetings in Iowa, which had been planned to allow people to ask questions of their congressional representatives. But the lawmakers are not showing up.

Constituents are attending town hall meetings at libraries across the state to ask about potential changes to Social Security, cuts to government agencies - and rollbacks of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.

But Iowa American Federation of Labor President Charlie Wishman said U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller Meeks - R-Davenport - and U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn - R-Bondurant - are among lawmakers who haven't shown up to listen.

"And if they don't show up, we still have crowds that are standing room only or overflowing," said Wishman, "just to try and talk to an empty chair."

Wishman said advocacy groups are trying to find other ways to connect people with their representatives - including by writing postcards or emails, or calling their Washington offices with questions about the Trump administration's effort to reduce spending and downsize the federal government.

The advisory group, the Department of Government Efficiency - overseen by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk - has announced plans to terminate leases for seven federal office buildings in Iowa, including for the IRS, the Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Wishman said the cuts mean terminating important positions for federal workers in Iowa.

"Bird flu people," said Wishman, "or they work at the disease lab up in Ames or, like, something that we really need staffed."

Wishman said since lawmakers didn't show up to the scheduled town hall meetings, attendees wrote their questions on postcards - which he says will be delivered to the congressional representatives' offices.