Frank Callahan, president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council, sends us this open letter.

I am sure that many of you share my frustration at trying to sift through campaign commercials and talking points to find out where the candidates for president really stand on issues that are important to you. Part of the problem is Mitt Romney’s habit of changing his positions to suit his audience.

One thing he can’t change is his record. I had a front-row seat for Romney’s term as governor of Massachusetts. His positions and his actions on the issues that have a direct impact on building and construction trades workers were not good for our members.

Wages:

• Romney filed legislation to eliminate the prevailing wage on broad segments of public construction projects. 
• Romney vetoed a minimum wage increase just two years after promising to support raising it in his campaign.
• Romney vetoed legislation to stiffen penalties on employers that cheat workers out of their proper wages.

Unemployment insurance:

• Romney filed legislation to reduce the number of weeks you could collect benefits, made it far more difficult for construction workers to be eligible for benefits and cut premiums to the point of jeopardizing the financial health of the unemployment fund.

Construction safety:

• Romney vetoed a bill to require a 10-hour Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training on public projects. Romney said it “would increase the cost of doing business for contractors,” even though they are only required to maintain a copy of a worker’s OSHA 10-hour card. Ironically, this was one time when Romney brought the Democrats and Republicans together when members of both parties in both the House and Senate voted unanimously against Romney and overrode his veto.

Apprentice training:

• Romney tried to eliminate the state Division of Apprentice Training in his first state budget. He tried to undercut the division’s funding every year after that.

Candidate Mitt Romney often changes his positions to suit varying segments of the electorate. On issues impacting building and construction trades workers, he has been consistent. Candidate Romney has vowed to repeal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage, ban Project Labor Agreements and pass anti-union "right to work" for less laws. This is one area where Romney’s rhetoric matches his record. As governor of Massachusetts, every time Romney had a choice between supporting workers’ interests and the interest of Big Business, he chose Big Business every time.

Please keep this in mind when you cast your vote on Nov. 6.