{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Labor Lounge Podcast","title":"EP 13: Wayne Thomas of Kiewit Infrastructure ","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1276,"description":"In this episode, Anthony and Cyndie are joined by Kiewit Senior VP Wayne Thomas to discuss the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild in Baltimore: one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region’s history. He explains why Kiewit chose a progressive design-build approach and a voluntary Project Labor Agreement, and how the firm’s partnership with union labor will create hundreds of career-track jobs for local workers. Thomas shares how Kiewit’s hands-on workforce development efforts - community events, school outreach, and even door-to-door recruitment - are helping residents access apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs. He also reflects on the company’s 140-year history, its employee-owned structure, and its commitment to building not just bridges, but sustainable middle-class careers.https://www.kiewit.com/https://eascarpenters.org/https://cctmarketing.org/00:00 – Welcome and show introduction by Anthony and Cyndie 01:20 – Introduction of guest Wayne Thomas and overview of his role at Kiewit 02:21 – Wayne shares Kiewit’s 140-year history and employee-owned culture 03:42 – Story of how Wayne joined Kiewit and stayed for nearly four decades 04:51 – How Kiewit grew from bricklaying to national infrastructure leadership 05:49 – The company’s expansion into mining, energy, and heavy construction 06:44 – Discussion on Kiewit’s employee-ownership model and its impact on culture 07:47 – Recounting the Key Bridge collapse and Kiewit’s immediate response 08:49 – How Kiewit was selected for the rebuild and the progressive design-build model 09:52 – The project’s scale, trades involved, and job creation potential 10:57 – Kiewit’s community outreach and workforce development partnerships 12:00 – Apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship initiatives for local residents 13:02 – Why Kiewit committed to a voluntary Project Labor Agreement (PLA) 14:01 – The value of union labor and fair pay for skilled tradespeople 15:19 – Economic ripple effects and creation of...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/6QkQriDVMxi0hgTgh3TrJjMwy-j_jUqz8iyrk_oXNfk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS84ZDEw/YjllMzE0YWQ0MjBj/MmQ1MTY2M2NhYzRj/M2Y4Yy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}