Plumber Scott Gale hired as new business manager for Minneapolis Building Trades

From the Minneapolis Labor Review, May 21, 2010

By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor

MINNEAPOLIS — Scott Gale begins work June 1 as the new business manager for the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council.

Gale, a business agent for Plumbers Local 15, has served in a volunteer position as the Council’s elected president for the past year.

The Council sought a new business manager following the resignation of Mike Hawthorne, who returned to Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 for a position as executive vice president and business agent.

Gale takes on the position of business manager for the Minneapolis Building Trades during a challenging time of high unemployment for the trades. “Right now the biggest thing would be to build, strengthen, and continue unity among the crafts and trades,” he said.

Another key focus of his work, he said, will be fostering relationships with private sector and public sector decision-makers so that when construction resumes, union labor will be hired.

The Council includes 28 affiliated construction trades unions representing about 17,000 workers.

	Scott Gale, the new business manager for the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades Council, is a 20-year member of the Plumbers Local 15.

For Gale, 46, who grew up in White Bear Lake, joining the Plumbers Union 20 years ago was part of his family’s heritage. “I’ve got a couple of brothers in the trade. My father was in the trade.”

His father, Doug Gale, retired three years ago as business manager for Plumbers Local 34 in St. Paul.

His brothers also are Local 34 members: Rick Gale, who is Local 34’s apprentice coordinator, and Dean Gale, who is foreman at Doody Mechanical in St. Paul.

Scott Gale broke with part of the family tradition and ended up on the Minneapolis side of the river, however,  for several reasons. He had started a family and home in Minneapolis, he explained. And, he related, he also could work during the day and enroll in classes at night to learn the trade through Local 15 in Minneapolis while St. Paul at that time offered only a day training program. Finally, when he was looking for work in the trade, “timing of openings” landed him in Minneapolis with Plumbers Local 15.

Gale worked for several different contractors, doing mostly commercial and multi-family work, and then worked five years for the University of Minnesota.

He also worked as an instructor in Plumbers Local 15’s training program for about nine years.

Gale was elected one of Local 15’s business agents seven years ago.

Gale currently lives in Elk River with his wife Marlo Krueger-Gale. He has three children and one stepchild, ages 9-24.

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