b'MinnesotaNorth Dakota Joe FowlerA Message from Your Businessmisplaced vacation requests, and mail returns that happen every yearhosted just prior to Christmas where the kids will get to pick out a bike as delaying the payment to members. a surprise. Local 563 has also hosted smaller events for first responders and trade association partners like the MN Nuclear Energy Coalition. Manager, Joe Fowler NOTE: All Special Vacation payouts other than the Annual Payout inThis past August we also hosted a Local 563 Member Vikings Preseason December will continue to be done on a paper form available throughWatch Party at the Minneapolis Union Hall with free beverages and food the locals and District Council. from different food trucks we had onsite. This event was well received all employment categories. The reasons arepast year medical costs for the fund werewith several hundred people attending and is something Local 563 plans many including long hours, shift work, nearlyup well beyond the average medical trend ofPaid Family Medical Leave (PFML) in MN will become law as of Januaryto do again in August of 2026. So watch for communications on our impossible project timelines that causearound 8% overall for actives and even more1, 2026. For members who have questions on how it will apply to you, Isocial media page or come to a monthly membership meeting to learn burnout, time away traveling alone for yourfor retirees. This means the active memberswill try to provide a quick breakdown. Employees/LiUNA members willmore. This union believes community matters and supporting our nearby employer, use of and addiction to pain relieverswill see a $1.25 increase to their hourlypay an additional .44% tax on your payroll which isof the .88% taxcommunity and our labor partners is how we envision utilizing our new because if our members dont work, they dontcontribution for all contract allocation datesthe state believes it will take to fund the program. Employers will paybuilding into the future. What Local 563 doesnt do though is rent the get paid and we do tough physical labor nearlyeffective after January 1, 2026. While retireesthe other half of the payroll tax. Members will be able to claim wagefacility out as an event center. It would take away focus from our primary all day every day. The seasonal nature of a lotwill see an increase of $351 for pre-Medicarereplacement under the PFML law for qualifying reasons, a list of which iswork, and it requires some level of Local 563s staff to be involved when of the work we do can also be a contributorretirees, $157 for Medicare eligible retirees andavailable on the MN state DEED portal. Waivers under the law have beenthe building is open. We are fortunate at Local 563 and do not need to financial stress within the household. We$433 for Medicare eligible retirees with a pre- negotiated between the union and the employers/employer associationsadditional rental income to remain financially stable and secure.recognize the challenges our members face,Medicare aged spouse. This is a tough decisionbecause paying healthcare contributions for a non-producing employee particularly in light of the troubling numberbut without passing on the increased medicaland their replacement worker at the same time is not reasonable.When we talk about volunteering and helping the community, Local Hello Brothers and Sisters of Local 563, of calls we receive about members who diedcosts to the specific groups of retirees whoNeither is having to lay off or let go of the replacement workers after the563s membership and staff always answer the call. Whether its by suicide. LiUNA pushed hard and led thethey are attributed to, the retirees fund wouldoriginal employees PFML is up and they decide to return to work. Therevolunteering at the Annual Laborers Family Fun-Raiser (which raised As I sit down to write my letter to theway with Joel Smith, who testified at thequickly become insolvent. For future retireesare a few of our employees that will not fall under this situation and will$35,000 for Ronald McDonald House and $15,000 for the Laborers membership for this years Holiday Newslettercapital. As a result of those efforts, we wereplanning to utilize the Laborers Retireeneed to implement the PFML law as intended. Those employers are theCharitable Foundation in 2025 alone), volunteering at the Laborers as Business Manager; I want to first say thankable to get the state to contribute $1 millionHealthcare Program there is discussionproduction plants at Fabcon, Twin City Concrete, Anchor Wall Systems,Health and Benefits Fair, or volunteering at the 133rd Air National you to the membership for having faith in anddollars this past session to expanding Mentalamongst the Health and Welfare TrusteesMolin, and those who work directly for the U of M. The law does notGuard or 34th Red Bull National Guard Family Days, Ribfest alone takes supporting myself along with the rest of theHealth Programs and resources specific to theabout starting a Health Retirement Accountallow the unions to offer the waivers our other signatory contractorsover 50 volunteers just to make the annual Yellow Ribbon Ribfest BBQ elected officers this spring during the Localconstruction industry. As I already mentioned,(HRA). The HRA would be funded by allocatinghave received related to paid family medical leave in MN because thesecompetition happen (which raised $45,000 in 2025 alone to help soldiers 563 election. As our dedicated group of electedthe Fringe Fund Trustees were also able toa part of the negotiated wage increases fromspecific employers are not considered construction employers.and their families who need some help). These events spread joy, fun officers and local staff move forward withhire an in-house Therapist, Grace Kilgore,future contracts. It could be used to helpand solidarity amongst our members and their families. These events another 3-year term, we do so with passionwho does short-term care to provide membersoffset deductibles, pay for qualifying medicalLocal 563 has a couple of dues and benefits changes effectiveoffer the rare gift of time and a worry-free fun afternoon with family and with a commitment to continue growingand covered dependents with quick accesspurchases and even be used in retirementJanuary 1, 2026 to know about as well. The monthly membershipfor those in our MN military. These events raise funds for the families this great union while also safeguarding theand a soft transition to longer-term therapyto offset the retirees healthcare increasesdues will see an increase from $38.00 to $39.00 per month. Local 563of local laborers, soldiers, and for families who need a place to stay and best-defined benefit pension plan and healthoptions if needed. Local 563 has also hostedthat come into play in the future. I also wantdues members will still be paying $4.00 less than the constitutionallycall home when their children are at their most vulnerable and in need of care within the construction industry. I alsotwo separate Suicide Prevention Trainingsto remind any retirees who are interested inrequired $43.00 per month minimum that the other MN Locals set theirlife-saving medical care. This is who you are, and this is what makes us want to highlight that although the holidays isduring 2025 with plans to continue offeringcoming back to work, in order to reset theirdues at. Life insurance for active members at Local 563 also increasedlaborers. These events dont happen without our Local 563 members and often a happy and wonderful time for many ofthese same training sessions multiple timesHealthcare Benefits that they must first be asignificantly from $2,000 to $10,000. The Accidental Death Rider is anlocal staff who selflessly volunteer their free time making life just a little us, there are many members and their familiesa year. Attendees of a Suicide Preventionmember, and second, to regain initial eligibilityadditional $10,000 and if a member loses their life at work or on the waybetter for others. going through struggles we ourselves do notTraining will receive a custom embroideredrequires working at least 330 hours within ato or from work the accidental portion of the policy doubles to $20,000. know. Some of which are made worse duringone-time order Dixxon Flannel with Local3 consecutive month or less period to resetFor retirees who are still dues paying members, the local has a $2,000Im also happy to report that our Laborers Training Center is expanding the holidays and with the current government563s mental health message and logo onthe health care costs increases theypolicy placed on them. once again with a second new location in North Branch. The new sites shutdown. If you or someone in your familythem. Upcoming training dates are shared athave experienced.civil work is finishing up as you read this letter. This new 96-acre location needs mental health support, please reachthe monthly membership meetings and areIts our first full year in the NEW Minneapolis Union Hall, and it hasin North Branch is not meant to replace our Hugo location, but it will out to Grace Kilgore, MSW, LICSW our Newposted on Local 563s social media page. NOTE: Existing pension suspension rules still apply.been a great and evolving experience learning how to utilize the buildingallow us to better facilitate CDL training, underground utilities work Behavior Health Therapist who works out ofto its potential. This past year we have tried to use it as a way to buildincluding drilling, we will have an advanced pipelaying 3 course, solar the Laborers Health Care Clinics. Grace is ableIm going to continue talking about someThe Pension continues to be well funded atrelationships that are mutually beneficial when hosting events here.and wind energy construction and maintenance, hard scrapes along with to see clients/patients down to the age of 12.of the changes we will be seeing with our92% (as of 3-31-25) and well within the greenA couple of examples are, for a second season the MN Vikings haveadvanced concrete and concrete sawing courses. New curriculum will be We also have additional resources availablehealthcare in 2026. All of this is MN/NDzone. All of the contributions allocated tohosted home game Season Ticket Holder Pregame Events at ourcontinuously developed and instructed at the North Branch and Hugo to our members and their families thru LYRALaborers wide and not specific to Local 563the pension effective during 2025 and 2026Union Hall. In return Local 563receives a half page ad in the Vikingstraining center locations based on the construction industrys needs,which is our (EAP) Employee Assistancemembers. You all should have received noticewill accrue Pension Benefits at the currentGameday Program both in print and online. We also have a Local 563so that we are providing relevant instruction to our members and asProgram. Please know your life mattersin the mail that the medical deductible is2.75%. This past year the Vacation Fund hasdigital banner ad that is shown 4-5 times a game on the LED ribbona benefit to our contractors. and having a community of people showingchanging from $200 to $300 per person. This ismade significant changes to how a claim frombanner in US Bank Stadium. In this scenario the MN Vikings also cover solidarity and support during a membersthe first time to my knowledge that the Healththe Vacation Fund is made. As of Octoberthe costs of the building cleaners and any parking used. If you comeWork has stayed steady over the past year with 2024 ending at around lowest times is what being part of a union Fund has increased our deductible. These past15th, 2025 all regular Annual Vacation Fundto a union meeting and happen to be lucky enough to win one of the 316.8 million work hours reported and 2025 looking to finish about on par is all about.two years the health fund has experiencedrequests will be required to be made throughsets of season tickets we give away you also get to attend the Vikingswith those same numbers as well. We have had two separate interest some very significant increases in prescriptionsthe Zenith Participant Edge Portal. ThisPregame Event and receive free parking. Other events we have hostedrate drops of 25 basis points from the Fed in both September and The MN/ND Laborers Union has continued tocosts which are up over 40% from the previouschange should be an easy transition sinceinclude a MN National Guard Soldier Reintegration Training for soldiersOctober. December may potentially bring another interest rate reduction highlight mental health as something that our12-month period overall. We know this isall active members are required to have acoming back from deployment. This December, Local 563 is hosting aas well. If current interest rates hold steady or possibly lower further members along with the members of othernot specific to our fund alone and is industryParticipant Edge account to request money asBike Building Event for the Children of MN National Guard Members.by incorporating a fourth interest rate drop before spring, I believe trade unions struggle with. The rates of deathwide. For the Laborers Health Fund, specialtya wage replacement through the MN LaborersParts for 350 bikes will be delivered, put together, and tested over athe vertical construction side of our industry will open up quite a bit by suicide amongst construction workers is onedrugs account for over 50% of our overallWorker Wellness Program. This also will3-day period. Afterwards they will be transported via the Local 563 semicompared to the last couple of years.of the highest in the nation when comparingprescription costs annually. Additionally, thiseliminate the multiple late requests, lost ortruck to the St. Paul River Centre for a private afternoon long event 2 local 563 laborers union /563 news /2025-2026 newsletterlocal 563 laborers union /563 news /2025-2026 newsletter 3'