If it’s built in Alaska, Laborers have a hand in it
Union members in demand from Slope to Valdez If it’s built in Alaska, including ma- jor infrastructure projects, the Alaska Laborers Locals 341 and 942 will like- ly be on the job. Local 341 is based in Anchorage and covers Southcentral and Southeast Alaska while Local 942 in Fairbanka represents members in Interior and northern Alaska along with Southeast Alaska. What’s unique about the Alaska Laborers is that its members support a wide range of industries, from North Slope oil work to civil construction on highways and buildings, and other fields as well, said Joey Merrick, Busi - ness Manager and Secretary-Treasur- er for Local 341. Alaska Laborers members help maintain the Valdez Marine Terminal and the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. They also keep operations running at Anchorage’s Ted Stevens Internation- al Airport, including vital snow plow- ing during winter, Merrick said. “See those flaggers on the highway when you slow and stop for summer road work? They’re members of the Alaska Laborers,” he said. Traffic control is one of many spe - cialized construction-related skills that requires training, which the union does at its training center in Chugiak, north of Anchorage, as well as at a facility in Fairbanks. While the Laborers’ focus has tra- ditionally been on construction and facility maintenance fields, the union also represents other occupations such as health care, Merrick said. There are about 4,500 members with the Alaska
usually takes two to three years, so becoming an apprentice is a major commitment. Meanwhile, construction of new oil fields and other petroleum work on the North Slope has kept the union’s members busy. North Slope work has always been important and Locals 341 and 942 were busy even before work started on the new Pikka and Willow oil fields. Pikka, built by Santos and Repsol, is now complete with first oil in May, CONTINUED on PAGE 23
Laborers and about 20% of these are in health care, he said. Overall, things are good for la- borers’ union members. Merrick said he was encouraged this spring at the number of applications for new ap- prentice positions, a signal of con- fidence in the construction industry in the workforce. There were 20 who applied and were accepted. Another opening for applications was held in June. It takes 5,100 hours of on-the job training for apprentices to achieve journeyman status, a process that
Photos Courtesy Alaska Laborers Alaska Laborers members support a range of industries, from North Slope oil work to civil construction on highways and buildings, and other in-demand fields.
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THE LINK: The Official Magazine of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance | SUMMER 2026
www.AlaskaAlliance.com
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